Podcasts about TVS

On this week's show we review the Aqara FP2 Presence Sensor and ask are expensive audio wires bananas? We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news.  News: Netflix is about to stop working on some older smart TVs and consoles Another Cable TV Network Announces It Will Shut Down in April Broadband Usage Jumps by 9.9% in Q4 Peacock Strikes Gold With Outsized Olympics, Super Bowl Audiences Other: Neil Blanchard  "transmission line"Designs Aqara FP2 Presence Sensor Review The Aqara Presence Sensor FP2 (Buy Now $83) is a game-changer for smart home enthusiasts. Its standout feature is the ability to divide a room of 40㎡ or ~430 sq ft into multiple (up to 30) distinct zones using advanced mmWave radar technology. This allows for some really cool home automations like triggering kitchen lights when someone enters the boundary. This effectively allows one sensor to act like up to 30 allowing personalized scenes based on exact positions far beyond what standard motion sensors can do. Features:

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we're joined by Jeff Beachum and Curt Banter from Portable Church Industries (PCI), a company that has helped more than 4,000 churches launch, expand, and thrive in portable environments over the past 25+ years. PCI specializes in helping churches create high-quality worship, kids, and guest experiences in rented or temporary venues—without sacrificing excellence, volunteer health, or long-term strategy. Is your church growing and starting to feel the pressure of limited space? Are you wrestling with what comes next when your building is full but a permanent solution feels years away? Curt and Jeff share how portable solutions can help churches keep momentum, reach more people, and make wise long-term decisions—without rushing into costly permanent buildings too soon. Recognizing the capacity tipping point. // When churches reach 70–80% capacity, leaders begin to feel pressure everywhere—parking, kids' environments, hallways, volunteer fatigue, and seat availability. At that point, growth doesn't slow because of lack of vision; it slows because of physical constraints. Leaders often start “chasing capacity,” stacking services or squeezing rooms, but those solutions eventually hit a wall. The real question becomes how to keep momentum going without rushing into a long-term decision that may limit future flexibility. Why waiting too long can stall growth. // Waiting to see what happens with growth can quietly kill momentum. When guests can't find seats or families feel crowded, people stop inviting friends—even if the preaching and worship are strong. While overflow rooms may solve logistics, they rarely create the same invitational energy. Churches must respond to growth with courage, believing that God is at work and making room for what He's doing. Portable as a strategic bridge, not a shortcut. // One of the biggest misconceptions is that portability is a cheap or temporary compromise. In reality, portability often serves as a strategic incubation phase—a way to grow now while preparing for long-term solutions later. Portable environments allow churches to launch new locations in months instead of years, often at 3–7% of the cost of permanent construction. Why permanence shouldn't be your first move. // Permanent buildings come with long timelines, heavy capital costs, and irreversible decisions. By contrast, portable systems allow churches to test locations, leadership capacity, volunteer systems, and community engagement before committing to bricks and mortar. In many cases, churches reuse or retool their portable systems for future campuses, making portability a repeatable growth engine rather than a one-time solution. Designed for volunteers, not professionals. // PCI systems are designed around the reality that most churches rely on volunteers—not production experts. Systems are engineered so everything has a place, setup is repeatable, and volunteers of all ages can succeed. Portability often attracts a unique group of volunteers—people who may not serve in traditional roles but find purpose in setup, teardown, logistics, and behind-the-scenes leadership. Over time, these teams become deeply connected and highly committed. Experience and kids environments matter. // Portable doesn't mean second-rate. In fact, kids' environments are often more important than the worship space. Parents cannot fully engage in worship if they feel uneasy about where their children are. PCI's design process balances worship, kids, guest flow, safety, and branding to ensure the entire experience reflects the church's values—not just what happens on stage. Custom systems, not off-the-shelf kits. // PCI's consultative approach begins with listening. Each system is custom-designed based on the church's identity, volunteer capacity, budget, and long-term vision. There is no “stock solution.” From sound systems to kids check-in to trailer layouts, every detail is engineered to support the church's unique mission and growth trajectory. A first step for leaders. // For leaders feeling capacity pressure, start with a conversation—not a commitment. Learning what options exist now prepares churches to act decisively later. The goal is not to rush, but to be ready when growth demands action. Speak directly with Jeff Beachum and discover how Portable Church can help with your unique situation by scheduling a conversation at portablechurch.com/jeff. Learn more about Portable Church Industries and see samples of their work at portablechurch.com. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: SermonDone Hey friends, Sunday is coming… is your Sermon Done?Pastor, you don't need more pressure—you need support. That's why you need to check out SermonDone—the premium AI assistant built exclusivelyfor pastors. SermonDone helps you handle the heavy lifting: deep sermon research, series planning, and even a theologically aligned first draft—in your voice—because it actually trains on up to 15 of your past sermons. But it doesn't stop there. With just a click, you can instantly turn your message into small group guides, discussion questions, and even kids curriculum. It's like adding a research assistant, a writing partner, and a discipleship team—all in one. Try it free for 5 days. Head over to www.SermonDone.com and use promo code Rich20 for 20% off today! Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, welcome to the unSeminary podcast. Super glad that you’ve decided to tune in today and you are going to be rewarded for that. We’ve got a really important conversation, I know for many churches that are listening in, particularly if your church is growing and you’re thinking about the future and you see some constraints around you, we wanna help release some of those constraints today. Rich Birch — And I’ve asked good friends, Curt Banter and Jeff Beachum from Portable Church Industries to come and be on the on the call with us today, because they’ve got some stuff that I know can help so many of us. If you do not know Portable Church, they help churches thrive in portable venues. For more than 25 years, Portable Church has helped literally thousands of churches launch strong and thrive in a mobile setting. They design custom solutions that fill that fit each budget, vision, and venue. They really are amazing people. And I’m so glad to have you on the show today, Curt and Jeff. Welcome. So glad you’re here.Curt Banter — Great to be here.Jeffrey Beachum — Glad to be here.Rich Birch — Why don’t we start with Curt? Tell us the kind of portable church, you know, summary. You bump into someone and you they yeah they ask you where you work and you’re like, I’m CEO of Portable Church. What what is that?Curt Banter — Yes, yes. That’s a popular airport question. That is a very, what is that exactly? And I always…Rich Birch — Right. Is that on wheels or something? What is it like, you know.Curt Banter — Exactly. I always tell people like, well, we build portable systems to help churches function in kind of rented spaces is, you know, the deal. And it’s production, it’s kids, it’s lobby, it’s the whole thing. It’s it’s the experience on a Sunday morning in a rented venue.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s fantastic. And Jeff, give us a sense of the scope of both the services and kind of solutions that PCI provides. Like when you say you help that, what does that, what does that mean? Is this just like a bunch of ideas or what what do you actually do?Jeffrey Beachum — So Portable Church provides absolutely everything that a church needs in order to do church the way they do at their home campus, except we don’t provide the pastor, and the people and the place. But, I mean, we do everything else from, like Curt said, production, everything you need to do children’s environments, everything you need to get people on the campus with wayfinding, greeting them, coffee, right down, if we don’t recommend it, but right down to the communion wafer and the baby diaper. We can do it all.Rich Birch — Nice. Right. Yeah, it’s incredible. Well, today we want to frame the conversation for churches that are listening in that are particularly growing and are thinking about the future and maybe are coming up against some capacity issues. Jeff, when a church starts to approach, say, let’s picture a church, maybe they’re approaching 70, 80% of their weekend capacity. What kind of questions do you hear those leaders wrestling with? What are they thinking about, as they’re thinking about, hmm, what do we do next?Jeffrey Beachum — Well, luckily I’ve run into some ah amazing executive leaders that carry the vision and the execution of a church. And those are usually the two primary people or positions. And there might be multiple people involved in it. But those are the two positions that really are looking in their crystal ball and trying to say, all right, based on The seats we’re filling, the parking lot the way it is, the corridors that are jammed, the children’s ministry, how high a pitch our our volunteers are screaming. We need to be thinking down the road about what are the solutions. And those those people typically, those good leaders are asking questions about, all right, what can we do onsite?Jeffrey Beachum — And eventually, if this keeps going, and we’d love the momentum to keep going, what are some off-site solutions? And so that’s what we like to help take leaders through is even if they don’t use it, the more they know, the better they’re going to be.Rich Birch — And what, when you think of the questions that they’re wrestling about kind of the onsite offsite question, what would be some of those things that, why would they be at that venture? Like what, what is it about, you know, these, this kind of threshold of 70, 80% that starts pushing them to be like, Ooh, maybe it’s like, what are the pain points that they start feeling that are like, okay, that we’ve got to start thinking about something, you know, different down the road.Jeffrey Beachum — Well, this we do this thing, I like to call it chasing capacity, because once a church opens its doors, and if they’re blessed by God and they’re doing all the things that they should be doing, they will forever be looking for that elusive extra seat so that people can hear the gospel. Rich Birch — Right.Jeffrey Beachum — Well, when they get into that position, um they they immediately begin to think, we only have so many seats. It’s a finite number and we’re growing. So how how do we get more? And on-site solutions might include stacking services, adding another third, fourth service. It could mean expanding the footprint of the whole building that you’re in. It could be moving from a smaller room to a bigger room. It could be a variety of solutions on-site to help all those situations. And and there’s a lot to consider when it comes to children’s space, worship space, getting people in and out between services and parking and all of those things.Jeffrey Beachum — Eventually, someone has to be looking at what the offsite locations might be. And and to be honest with you, that is a finite thing. There’s only you can find a green piece of grass and and build a brand new building, which takes a lot of money, a lot of time. There’s commercial properties that you can go into now and build them out, which is always fun and exciting and good good solutions. Mergers is popping up and then portability. Those really are the only four options that are out there for a church to consider going off-site for another site or to launch a new plant.Rich Birch — Cool. So Curt, from when we think about, again, this church, they’re, you know, they’re reaching 70, 80% capacity. They got full everywhere. Like and they look around and it’s like not and enough seats, not enough kids space, not enough parking. From a design and systems perspective, kind of the running side, what often do you think that we miss at that moment in a church life? Like questions we’re not asking or maybe things we misunderstand about that?Rich Birch — Because you guys see this all the time. These are the people you work with all day long. Curt Banter — Yeah. Rich Birch — What are the things that we maybe misunderstood?Curt Banter — Yeah, I think, you know, a lot of people are trying to, they don’t want to lose momentum. They don’t want to lose people. They they start, especially I think people kind of a knee jerk sometimes that it’s like, oh you know, people to come in the door. I can’t find a place to sit. They’re going to, you know, they’re to, people are going split.Curt Banter — And so they’re really nervous about that. So people will tend to do the things that are maybe more black and white and make choices that feel concrete. Like I could build a thing or I could add a service or I could do different things that will cost money and maybe not as much in terms of personnel. But I think sometimes the the tricky part is is that the strategy is really key because what you’re building now is going to lay the foundation for so many other steps down the road.Curt Banter — So it is important to really kind of step back for a minute and make some choices about you know what that means for your staff, what that means for long-term capital spending or whatever it may be before you kind of just leap into those decisions. And then you’re stuck with things that maybe don’t grow so well, or, um, are just bandaid solutions.Rich Birch — Yeah, trying to make the long term. That’s hard in the middle of the chaos of it to step back and say, hey, what what is the best decision here?Curt Banter — It is, it’s really hard.Rich Birch — Even though I’ve got, you know, I’ve got problems right now. What’s the best decision for us to make it this for this next step? Jeff, what happens if we’re in this again, thinking about the same kind of church, if we wait too long, if we, because I’ve actually seen this in churches where I think it’s like it’s like we don’t have faith that what’s happening now is going to continue. And we think, well, maybe maybe next fall, all these people won’t come back. Now, we would never say that. And then we wait and we hesitate for a year or two. What’s some of the risk there that we should be thinking about?Jeffrey Beachum — Well, it it is a scary thing to see God moving and and being amazed at what’s happening in front of you, and and really taking that and getting a gut gut feeling, the right gut feeling to say, God is doing something here and we just need to be able to provide ways for him to keep filling seats.Jeffrey Beachum — And so momentum is very, a tricky thing and you need to be able to keep the momentum going, keep people encouraged. And, and if you don’t, I’ll just share one story. Um, I was at a church. I’ll just tell you my church. I was at my church. I love my church. It’s a great church and got there at Easter time, got there early cause we knew better. And I, I’m old, so I went out to the bathroom and I came back in, and as I was coming back in the doors were closed and there was a sign there that struck me big time and it said: no more seats in the sanctuary. And it pointed to another place where they could go. Well, nobody wants to sit in the second space, no matter what it looks like, and that no more seats available. What if that was the day, you know?Jeffrey Beachum — And so momentum, you need to be able to keep it going. It’s tenuous and you can hit speed bumps with some of the things that you try to do, but you you really need to take courage in what God is doing and what the skill set that he’s provided for the executive leaders to make these decisions and say, we really believe that God is asking us to do this and make plans for that next thing, whether it’s the on-site solution or the off-site solution.Jeffrey Beachum — But if nobody is thinking about it and nobody is ready to make those decisions, that’s where you hit a wall and you stop growing. And in my mind, I think once you’ve let people know that that’s not important enough to keep seats open so that more people can come in, I think that has a negative twist to the momentum piece.Rich Birch — Oh, for sure. Yeah. And there’s, there’s, you know, people won’t invite if there’s not empty seats and there’s, you know, there’s all kinds of interesting, you know, you know, correlations there for sure. So again, thinking about the same church, actually literally earlier today, I was talking to a church, there are three services on a Sunday morning, adding a fourth. And I was asking the XP, how’s it going? And he said, well, we had our, they have like their main parking lot and then they have like the grass parking lot. They’re part of the country country where you can do the grass parking lot. And he’s like, our grass parking lot this last weekend, we’re recording this in early January, was full. And he’s like, we did not anticipate that. And he’s like, I know I’m at least four years away from a building program. I’m not sure, you know, what, what to do. And I thought it was kind of funny that I’m talking with you guys today as well.Rich Birch — So Curt, when you think when, and so this, this guy was a little freaked out because he’s like, man, we got years before we can think about, and he’s thinking permanent building. So when churches are thinking about expanding, many of us, we jump right to permanence. Hey, how long is it going to take? You know, if you talk to our friends on that side, there’ll be three years to, you know, and lots of money.Rich Birch — What have you learned about the danger of kind of skipping this, maybe some sort of interim in between step? Talk us through, you know, why maybe permanence isn’t, shouldn’t be our first step when we’re thinking about this.Curt Banter — Yeah. No, I mean, yeah, and I often tell people, I like, I love the permanent space. I got no problem with that. But if the momentum is really flying and things are going fast, that that is that is a big chunk of why we exist. I mean, we can build a design. You know, you can, it’s, it’s if you you need to find a location. You need to figure out your team. There’s a lot of steps that need to happen in here, regardless of whether you’re going to be building a building or doing a portable church or whatever it may be. Curt Banter — And so this is a, it’s a great time to kind of figure out what the next steps are. And it really is, it’s an opportunity to, to trial things. And like I say, for us, the big deal is is, you know, instead of that four year window, that kind of thing, I was just talking to somebody yesterday and they said, well, you know, how many, how many months would it take? And I said, well, if if we’re talking in months, we’re in good shape. Because sometimes people show up and they’re like, Hey, we need to do something in 10, 12 weeks. And I’m like, okay, we could probably do that. You know?Rich Birch — Right. We can hustle.Curt Banter — Yeah, I mean, and that’s that’s pretty low risk. Like if you can get get something off the ground in 10 or 12 weeks, you know, that… Rich Birch — Right. Curt Banter — …that that gives you opportunity to really take advantage of that and not have to freak out about what my next step is and figure out how am I going to excavate or get a architect involved or, you know, whatever permitting all these things, which, you know, yeah, you’ll get to that. But we don’t have to really work through a lot of those issues to get something launched fairly quick.Jeffrey Beachum — If if I could… Rich Birch — Jump in – yeah, absolutely. Jeffrey Beachum — …we, we recently did a case study of a church down in Florida and they, it’s an amazing church in itself, but they went to a campus and thinking they were only going to have to be there for a couple of years because they had a property across the street. And what happened in that campus was amazing and God blessed them. Jeffrey Beachum — And After they ended up, instead of being there two years, they ended up being there four years. As they were getting into their fourth year, we said, you know what, we need to capture this because this is exciting stuff that they could do. They had 6,000 people on a high school campus on an Easter Sunday…Rich Birch — That’s crazy. Jeffrey Beachum — …which is wacko in my mind. Rich Birch — Sure.Jeffrey Beachum — But we went down to capture it. And the theme that kept coming out of the volunteers and the leaders that we interviewed was, why would we have waited? Why would we have put this off for four years? Look what happened in the four years that we were in this environment. And now we get to walk across the street in a few months and fill a brand new building. And they did. They walked across and they added a third service immediately. And now just six months later, they’re up to five services. So that I like to call it an incubation time… Rich Birch — Right. Jeffrey Beachum — …in portability where they can grow and they can test their mettle. They can test their leadership. They can let the community know here’s what we do and here’s who we are. There’s a lot of great benefits to being portable first.Rich Birch — Okay, sticking with you, Jeff, and and with that idea, this frame of like, a hey, we’re going to, you know, maybe like you’re saying test or take the first step towards a long term plan that’s portable. I’m sure you’ve had a lot of those conversations with churches over the years that have done that.Jeffrey Beachum — Yeah.Rich Birch — I’m sure some of them were like, maybe hesitant at the beginning, and then they do it. And then there’s learnings that come back. They they discover, oh wow, this this was different, better. Here were some of the advantages of going portable first. What would be some of those? Rich Birch — I hear the idea of like, in that church’s example of like, hey, we actually were able to start reaching people rather than waiting for four or five years for a building and then start doing that. We actually start to do that now. That’s a great benefit. Any other, that kind of thing that comes back that people are surprised they didn’t see on the, on the, on the outset.Jeffrey Beachum — Well, I think people are surprised when they go portable, at least in our experience with portable church, we we see churches are able to bolster their volunteer base. Normally you get into experiences like that and volunteers, you know, they they they do it for a while and then they say, I’m out. But in our case, it’s intuitive enough and exciting enough, and they see the results that the volunteers usually grow in that case.Jeffrey Beachum — Another great example purpose for going portable first would be to become a part of the community that you’re targeting for that that next facility that’s going to be permanent. If the community sees that you are already a part of them and that you make a difference, they’re going to make it easier for you to get the permissions to get everything constructed in a timely basis. They’re not going to get in the way because they see the value of having you already in the community.Jeffrey Beachum — And then there’s always, you know, the the the end result is that when people are hurting and you go into a new community and you answer a need and they they get to go to a place that they’re familiar with, the school, the YMCA, movie theater, whatever that is, in a very comfortable setting that they’re already familiar with and learn about Jesus and have hope restored. So there’s just a few, but there’s a lot of reasons to go portable first.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Jeffrey Beachum — Yeah.Rich Birch — I don’t know if I’ve ever told you this. In fact, I’m pretty sure I haven’t. So the church I’m at now, next year, 2027, will be a 20-year anniversary. And although I’m not on staff anymore, I do this full-time. I’m still a part of the church. I love it. And you know they have like the organizational values. And we we had one of our campuses was portable for 17 years using a Portable Church Industries system. I know you know that, Jeff. Jeffrey Beachum — Yeah.Rich Birch — And when we, I was like emotional when we were putting those cases away and like unpacking them. It was like, oh my word, like this was like a big deal. And actually one of the the staff team’s values, I just saw this yesterday, I was in the office, is we push cases. And, you know, they they internally, even though they’re not portable anymore, we push cases, this idea of like, hey, we’re all in. And it’s like this thing they kind of tell each other. And I actually think friends like I’m I try I’m trying to be like the unbiased, like, oh, I’m just interviewing these guys. But like, I love Portable Church. I love what they’re up to. I love how you help churches.Rich Birch — And I think your systems, the actual physical systems that you make are like the biggest competitor to you because I bump into them all the time. You know, a decade later, 15 years later, this stuff is still rolling out there. So, Curt, when you design a system where, you know, let’s say we’re we’re headlong in. We’ve said we’re going to do this. We’re going to we’re going to go portable. What do you prioritize? Is it experience, efficiency, volunteer experience, future growth? Talk us through how that kind of the the framework for how your team thinks through the actual design of these things, because it’s it feels like magic to me that, you know, it all comes together. It’s incredible.Curt Banter — Yeah, for sure. Yeah, it’s it’s funny. All those things are important. And I think a lot of what you have to do is when we go when we go and meet with a church, we talk through all that stuff. You walk in the building and you get a sense of, okay, what’s your identity? What, you know, how does it feel? What does what does the environment look like? What’s your auditorium experience? What’s what’s your kids? You know, what kind of security do you want? There’s just all these environmental questions that we’re trying to figure out.Curt Banter — And obviously budget plays a part in it as well, but it’s sort of a balancing act. You’ve got to sort of gather all the information in terms of who they are, what what are they trying to achieve, what’s their timeline, you know, and then you’re kind of baking all that into one big pie and trying to figure out how to you know, balance it all together.Curt Banter — But yeah, it’s it’s different. And it’s funny, I was I tell people, I’ve told Jeff this story, is like, when we sit down with a church, I always tell people, like, if there’s 10 things that are important, don’t assume that I know what they are, because the 10 things that are really important to this church are not the 10 things that may be important to you. Rich Birch — That’s so true.Curt Banter — And every single system has to be, we really base it around what is the the core values of that team, that church.Rich Birch — And how, reveal what that looks like a little bit for people folks. Cause I do think this is, this might be, this isn’t like a pull it off the shelf kind of thing.Curt Banter — No.Rich Birch — You’re building a custom system for people. What does that kind of consulting process look like? How do you, how does that actually, what’s actually look like, Curt?Curt Banter — Yeah, for sure. Yeah. So a lot of times we’ll we’ll set up a consultation, we’ll go in and it’s a it’s a full day of discovery, right? So it’s a lot of meetings with, it could be the executive pastor, we’re meeting with the production team, we’re meeting with the kids people, everybody, people that are making coffee, literally, you know, every part and piece of it.Curt Banter — And it’s a lot of just listening. It’s it’s a lot of me writing notes and figuring out what’s important to people. And yeah, we’re also talking about sound boards and PAs and you know lighting systems and all that kind of stuff. But it’s it’s tons and tons of gathering and information. Because yeah there’s there’s not there’s really nothing about the system that’s stock. Every single part and piece of it is customized for every client from some of our most budget systems to systems that are gigantic with lots of trailers and and lots going on, so. But yeah, it’s that data, that customization for each client is a gigantic part of what makes us, us.Rich Birch — Yeah. And I’ve said to folks who have used you when I knew they were you know coming up to a consultation, I’m like, just just mirroring the same thing you’re saying, just tell them everything. Like don’t like don’t hold back and you know and and talk through it all ah and be really clear.Curt Banter — Yeah.Rich Birch — Sometimes people come back and the system’s like, well, that’s maybe not what we were hoping it would be. Maybe everyone has like, what is it? Platinum Dreams and you know they have a smaller budget or whatever.Curt Banter — Oh, yeah, yeah.Rich Birch — But but but that’s okay.Rich Birch — That’s a part of your job is to try to help them right size it and and all that. Jeff, kind of on the brand consistency. Oh, sorry. Jump in. You were going to say something there. Yep.Jeffrey Beachum — I was just going to follow up with what Curt said, because I’ve attended with Curt a number of the consultations, and just walk away amazed at the value of just being being able to have Curt sit in a room with the leaders and how it feeds to the leaders really well.Jeffrey Beachum — And so some some significant things that I’ve seen Curt do is help them to understand it. So what kind of a what does your worship feel like? And what kind of sound system do you use? And there are some churches now that I say have the Cadillac of systems and they have the best of everything. And it could be really expensive. And if they’re going to multiply sites, that could get expensive over time. Jeffrey Beachum — And I’ve seen Curt be very gracious about, all right, so you have this top line equipment. If you’re going to do this two or three times, wouldn’t you like to like jump down to a Buick? and And have your people get really comfortable up with a Buick. Because to be honest with you, only the the professionals recognize the difference between a Buick and Cadillac. All of them still have four wheels and a steering wheel.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Jeffrey Beachum — And so he’ll talk about that. And then another key piece is that depending on who’s in the room when Curt does the discovery, he talks about the balance that people really don’t get to the worship space where the high production happens for 7 to 10 minutes. And they pass a lot of things. So there’s a nice balance to the design of the system with the children’s space, which I think is probably as as important or more important than the worship space, because no parent wants to go in and be have misgivings about what the space looks like and what’s going to happen to the child that they’re going to abandon into the care of these people and then walk across the street and the pastor think for one minute he has their attention enough to to preach the most important hour or 20 minutes of of their life…Rich Birch — Right.Jeffrey Beachum — …to change their life. They’re thinking about what the heck did I just do to my kids? Rich Birch — Right.Jeffrey Beachum — So I’ve seen Curt very graciously help them balance everything out and say, this is how it is important. And it’s important that we we get it into a system so that it can be done with volunteers quickly and they can have success every single time, every single week. Rich Birch — Love it. Jeffrey Beachum — And they can be excited and feel they’re as invested in the message that of the gospel as the pastor is.Rich Birch — Well, let’s double click on that with you, Curt. You know, I think there’s a lot of executive pastors listening in today and, and I have had this experience as an executive pastor. I’m like talking to some tech person and they’re like, we need the—using Jeff’s thing—we need the Cadillac. Like, you know, the gospel will not go forth without, you know, the Cadillac. And and and I look at all this and I’m like, it’s numbers and letters on a page. And how do I understand all that?Rich Birch — How do you help leadership teams really not either over invest or under invest, particularly on the technology side? Because that side, you know, a kids panel, you know, that stuff, it feels like, okay, that’s pretty consistent. But this area feels like, man, we can, it’s like sky’s the limit. So how how do you help churches on that piece particularly?Curt Banter — Yeah, I mean I mean, one of the first things I almost always do is I’ll ask people, to say, are you okay, so do we do you have experts coming to run this, or do you have staff coming to run this, or do you have volunteers running this?Rich Birch — Yes.Curt Banter — Because those are two very different things… Rich Birch — Yes. Curt Banter — …and if you’ve got volunteers coming, which a great majority of our churches do, then you’ve got to think about who you’re designing this for, right?Rich Birch — Yep.Curt Banter — And that is a problem because a lot of production directors are like, this is what I want. I’m like, are are you going to run it? Because if you’re not going to be there, it doesn’t really matter that much, you know. So a lot of times we’re really trying. I mean, sometimes i hate to be the wet blanket, but sometimes I think, and i can i can I can speak the language. I know what all the letters and everything mean. Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah. Curt Banter — But sometimes I’m trying to back them off a little bit to say, look, let’s build a system that’s repeatable. Let’s build a system that anybody… Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so true. Curt Banter — …maybe not anybody, but certainly your volunteers, somebody who’s equipped to do it, can do that, set it up in a reasonable amount of time. And and and every week they’re not having to try to troubleshoot it and figure it out and because it’s so complex.Curt Banter — And yeah, that that may be the right system for your main campus. But a lot of times at these portable locations, we’re trying to do something that’s fast, efficient, volunteer friendly. that’s That’s really key. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s that’s a critical piece.Curt Banter — So we’re I’m constantly bringing that kind conversation back around to, okay, that’s great. There’s a trade-off in time. There’s a trade-off in expertise. Do we want to do that, you know? And sometimes we say, yeah, that one, we we do want to do it, but maybe we don’t do it over here. there’s you know So it’s always a balancing act there a little bit.Rich Birch — Yeah, that that to me, that’s a that’s a critical piece. I think it’s such a great thing that that you guys offer to help us think through that. And what is the nuance there and and be another like another voice in the room? Because I think sometimes we end up in those conversations with the with the pro or person that wishes they were a pro you know tech person. And there’re it’s like…Rich Birch — It’s like they’re they’re they want like the all the bells and whistles, but at the end of the day, they’re not going to have to solve these problems long term.Curt Banter — Yeah.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Let’s, Jeff, let’s talk about the volunteer piece, particularly. So, man, I’m here in like set up, tear down, rolling stuff, plugging stuff in. You know, we we know that churches live and die on volunteers in every location, but it’s particularly true in in portable environments. How do systems, well thought out systems from the front end help us win with volunteers, you know week in, week out, not from day one, but then continue over the years.Jeffrey Beachum — Oh, well, and actually that’s that’s a part of Curt’s team and production and integration and all of that. the The system that Portable Church uses, if you think about it, the the Portable Church has to have all the same stuff your home church has. It’s just all put into a portable system. So you need all of that. Jeffrey Beachum — And and I’m betting at your home church, you’ve built that up over a series of 5 to 10 years. And here you get it all in one shot. And because that you’re starting out with church and it has to be done well. So you don’t have boomerang volunteers that say, oh, I tried this and I’m going back home. We don’t have that.Jeffrey Beachum — So some of the things that help with that is that they are designed for that repetitive nature where everything goes in the same place in the case. So every case is designed custom for that particular room. And so one group can come in and set everything up and a whole different group can come in and put it away after you’re done with your one, two, three services. And and it all be in the same place because it everything, every piece has a home and within each case. Rich Birch — Right. That’s good. Jeffrey Beachum — And then every case, has a specific place on a trailer because we advocate for trailers and we can explain that later, but everything is weighted out. So we have people that actually weigh each case and where it should go on the trailer so that we’re not breaking some of your volunteers’ hitches, that we’re not having stuff abandoned on the side of the road.Jeffrey Beachum — And so there’s a meticulous design that goes into meeting the needs so that the church can be effective. And allowing the the case system to be productive. And we have people, kids as early as 10 or 12, they think it’s cool to be able to be a part of that.Rich Birch — It’s so true.Jeffrey Beachum — And so they’re from 12 to 80 years old pushing these cases and being helpful in a way that maybe they’re not teachers. Maybe they’re not Sunday school teachers. Maybe they’re not preachers. Maybe they’re not people who welcome you know easily, and they don’t have those skills, but they love pushing the cases and being a part of that.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s true.Curt Banter — Yeah, that’s to to tag onto that.Rich Birch — Yeah.Curt Banter — That’s, I mean, the the teams I’ve been a part of in the past, we’ve, we’ve had groups of volunteers that never would have served in a permanent location.Rich Birch — A hundred percent.Curt Banter — They had no, they had no place there. They had no home there. Guys that pull trucks, people that are on the security team, people that are bringing in food to the green room, whatever it may be. And they, they really do. They find a home there. They find connection there. It’s not just about the serving. It’s also about the community. They’re very much interlinked. Rich Birch — Yeah. 100%.Jeffrey Beachum — And it’s important enough that we we warn churches. So when you go from portable to permanent, you need to find a home for all these amazing volunteers that they can continue to to serve.Rich Birch — Yeah. And we’ve, I was going to echo that. Like I’ve seen that time and again, in campuses have been a part of where we’ve gone from portable to permanent. And even though I’ve seen it, I’m like, there are a group of these volunteers that are like, they’re the backbone of the church. Like the, it’s all theoretical until the roadies show up and set the thing up. Like we’re, we’re theoretically doing church this weekend. And then this group of heroes show up and, you know, make it all happen.Rich Birch — And it is a group typically, it’s not always, but it’s my experience has been, it’s typically a group of guys who they don’t necessarily, they love it, but they don’t necessarily fit in other places. And they get this like foundational role in the church and love getting a little bit sweaty. And it’s the systems are designed so they’re not super hard. Rich Birch — One thing I want to say too, as a friend, like I remember years ago, this is again, probably 20 years ago with Pete, the founder of Portable Church. I was, I was at your location at the production location. And was, I was like waxing eloquently about, man, these cases are incredible. And he like, and you’re going to know what this is. I can’t remember the exact stat, but he he was showing this one case with this door that like flips down and you know he’s like, well, you know, if a certain person of a certain height, if something gets dropped into the bottom of that case, that door is designed so they can lean down and pick it up out of the bottom of that of that case. And he had some stat around like, you know, well you know, like X number of volunteers typically are this.Rich Birch — And I was like the amount of thinking that’s gone into the design is incredible. like And these are not like these just boxes that you’re pushing around there, although they are, they’re thought through, like lots of small things throughout the entire system that always strike me. I’m like, man, that’s just such a great idea, which is you know pretty incredible.Rich Birch — Curt, coming back to kind of an a little bit of an earlier question, I want to, there may be people that are listening in there like, yeah, I strategically get that. Maybe we’re going to spend a little less money. We could do some sort of like portable thing to help us before we go, you know, long-term. But some leaders might hear portable and think cheap, temporary, not great, ineffective, not on brand, all that kind of stuff. Help us think through how portable it really, yeah, how does that, what how how do you respond to that? How do you respond to those kind of potential criticisms?Curt Banter — Yeah. Yeah, I think I was trying to think of, ah you know, what, what causes the cheap thing. And I, I, I hate to say it, but I think sometimes it tends to be a DIY situation. It tends to be something where it’s, it’s that we talked about it earlier, that emergency situation, like I’ve got to figure out a solution.Rich Birch — Right.Curt Banter — And so I think sometimes people that go out and they grab this and they grab that and pull together. And now you’ve got this, you know, And there are churches that we go and work with where we sort of refresh the system or optimize the system.Curt Banter — And a lot of times you’ll see that where it’s just stuff in a trailer. Rich Birch — Right.Curt Banter — I mean, it’s just, they’re in boxes. They’re in, you know, cardboard, seen TVs and cardboard boxes that have been in those cardboard boxes for five, six years, you know, that kind of thing.Rich Birch — Yes. Yeah.Curt Banter — And I think that’s the, I think that’s sometimes maybe where the cheap comes from. And, and it’s the, the deal with us is, you know, everything’s thought out, right? Everything has a home. Everything has an an an intention in the way that it’s stored, used, trainability in terms of, you know. So, you know, I often say to people like, look, people go and pay lots and lots of money to go see concerts at big venues, right? And that’s all portable. It doesn’t have to be cheap. Those aren’t cheap. It’s really, it’s dependent upon, you know, what is your budget and what is your volunteer base and everything else. It doesn’t need to be cheap. And even at lots of budget levels, it doesn’t look cheap because there’s really a lot of thought that’s put into how it’s used.Curt Banter — So I don’t think, you know, there’s lots of opportunities to make it look great in a portable situation, but But yeah, it has to be, and like you were talking about with Pete, it has to be thought out. It has to be engineered. It has to be put together in a way that’s easy and fast and and looks good and has quality about it.Rich Birch — Well, and this this gets to how many churches you guys have worked with. Like, this is the insane, like, it’s some giant number. Like, it’s I know I said thousands at the front end, but what what is that number, Jeff? What is that? It’s it’s some huge number, right?Jeffrey Beachum — I, I think right now it’s got to be north of like 4000 churches over the last 30 years.Curt Banter — Something like that.Rich Birch — See, this is friends. This is what I’m saying. There are people that are listening in and you’re like, we could just do this on our own. And I’m like, well, why would you do that? Like talk to the people who have, they, although your situation is super unique, they’ve worked with 4,000 other churches in super unique situations and have helped them figure it out. And man, like that’s, you wanna leverage all of that thinking to help you figure out, okay, how are we gonna get this to work at, you know, insert junior high, high school, whatever it is, you know, bowling alley, whatever it is, wherever you’re you’re moving into, that’s that’s great.Jeffrey Beachum — Yep.Rich Birch — Curt, oh, sorry, go ahead, Jeff.Jeffrey Beachum — Well, I was just going to so I would also, when it comes to the value piece, ask how how valuable is it for you to have and to continue the momentum that you have going into your next, your next facility, whatever that is.Jeffrey Beachum — So you’ve got a gap when you finally realize, man, we got to do something and we got do something fast. Portability can be done within three to four months. We can have you on the ground, in your site and probably for an investment of maybe 3 to 5 or 7% of whatever that end expense is going to be, could be invested to keep that momentum going and to make things stronger.Jeffrey Beachum — And so with that gap between we need to land somewhere and landing in a permanent spot, you could have anywhere from a three to five year gap that could be highly productive in a highly professional environment with professional gear run by your volunteers.Jeffrey Beachum — And I don’t know very many, I mean, there are some guys that do DIY and do it well, but I don’t know very many that take into consideration all those engineering feats… Rich Birch — Right. Jeffrey Beachum — …that originally were thought up 30 years ago and Curt’s team continues now. Rich Birch — Right. Jeffrey Beachum — They produce a system that is amazing and helpful. And most of our the churches that we work with, they they come back. In fact, Liberty Live, we just did another interview with Liberty Live, and they were gushing about how much we’ve helped them with several sites. And it’s wonderful to hear that they’re effective because of us putting you know a carpet on wood and putting the right stuff in the right places and helping them to share the gospel.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s incredible. That’s so good. Yeah, and i love that. You may not like what I’m able to say, but I’ve said this behind your backs. But, you know, so so many times I’ve said to leaders when they’re thinking about this exact moment, I’m like, okay, so let’s talk about worst case scenario.Rich Birch — Let’s be the like, okay, we we launched this location and this campus and we’re, you know, we’re excited about it. It’s working well. But, you know, we don’t know. You don’t know what’s going to happen there.Rich Birch — Well, the beautiful thing about a portable system is like, let’s give that a run for two or three years. And but best case scenario, four years, like the example you used, four years, we end up moving into some other facility. Well, that’s great. Well, what we do what do we do with this portable system? We take it and put it somewhere else, which I know you’d like us to say, you buy a new system. But but but I say, just take it and you know get them to come back and retrofit it… Jeffrey Beachum — Yes. Rich Birch — …and then go into a new location which you can’t do I don’t know any, and I’ve known multiple churches that have done exactly that play, which is, you know, just, you talk about stewardship. That’s just incredible use of the resources that God’s given you.Rich Birch — It’s amazing stuff. Curt Banter — Yeah, we’re in the process of… Rich Birch — Well, as we’re coming to land here, sorry, go ahead. Curt Banter — …to say we’re in the process of talking to several churches right at the moment that are that are retooling systems that they’ve had in play for 5 to 10 years. Rich Birch — Right. Curt Banter — And it’s exactly it’s an engine, right? Rich Birch — Yes.Curt Banter — They use it for growth. They retool it and they put it back out there to do the next one. And that’s part of the plan. It’s not a happenstance. They they that is the plan, like is to always keep pushing that thing forward.Rich Birch — Right. Yeah, absolutely. And that DUI thing, DUI, that’s different. DUI, do it yourself, DIY. That’s a Freudian slip. The that happens in churches all the time.Rich Birch — You know, a friend of mine’s church, they were, you know, I was like, you really should be using Portable Church. And they didn’t use Portable Church and they came to their opening weekend and a key piece of gear did not fit through the door. Jeff knows the church I’m talking of.Rich Birch — And they, you know, I was, you know, the leader that I know is like a little bit frustrated with, you know, with all that. And I happened to see pictures of their launch and I’m like, oh, you got it through the door. And they’re like, no, we did not get it through the door. We ended up spending more money and figured out like an older thing or something and retrofitted. And I’m like, gosh, like, you would have saved all that hassle just talking to someone who’s gone ahead and figured out how do you fit all this into a box and get it through a door. Rich Birch — As we’re coming to land, maybe a couple last ah questions, maybe one for you, Jeff. If if there’s a leader that’s in this, they’re they’re facing the capacity pressure right now, what’s kind of one step they should take in this next 90 days? Where should they go next? and then I got one last question for you, Curt, as we wrap up.Jeffrey Beachum — So the next 90 days, I would say, certainly you’re not going to land in a new location in the next 90 days. But what you can do is you can take a look in your crystal ball and say, I think something could be in our future and begin to know what you don’t know.Rich Birch — Good.Jeffrey Beachum — And I would say there’s a lot about going portable, the benefits of portability, some of the processes involved that we would love to just tell you about and inform you about so that 12, 18, 24, even 36 months down the road, you you have that knowledge and you say, all right, I’ve got this one in my pocket. I know I can do this. And we would be here to help you. Jeffrey Beachum — So I would say in the next 90 days, give us a call and talk to us and say, hey, I don’t know when we’re going to do this, but I kind of feel that we’re going to have to. Can you help me understand and learn about it? Rich Birch — Yeah.Jeffrey Beachum — I guess that’s the best step.Rich Birch — Yeah. That’s fantastic. You can go to your website, right? Portablechurch.com/Jeff, I think is the answer. Jeffrey Beachum — Yes.Rich Birch — If you want to actually talk with you, which is amazing. I’ve so i’ve told people that I’m like, Jeff will get on the phone and talk to you. Like he’s a real live human. Jeffrey Beachum — Forever.Rich Birch — And at the end of it, it’s not like, you know, there’s a, you know, a credit card, you’re buying a new system. That’s not what it is. It’s like, Hey, we want to help you understand early, get in the process. You cannot start the conversation too early. You know, I appreciated Curt saying like, hey, I talked to this leader and they said maybe 10, 12 weeks from now I need something done.Rich Birch — Don’t do that. Like start early. Like if you’re as and they say they’ll do that. That’s fine. That’s that’s Portable Church. They’ll actually help you. But from my end as an operator, I’m like, even if you’re inkling thinking like early in the we might be doing something down the road. I’m not even sure if this is an option. Call Jeff – he’d be happy to help you. Rich Birch — Curt, for you, senior leader of the organization – you know, Portable Church is doing a great job. 4,000, we’re looking forward to that when you click over 5,000 churches. What would you say to a leader that’s listening in today as they’re thinking about expansion, maybe a senior leader, like, you know, a lead pastor, that sort of thing? What kind of words of advice or wisdom would you give them as we wrap up today’s episode?Curt Banter — Yeah. It’s funny, like as, as people are growing and they’re expanding, we’ve talked about this a few times, but think about, you’ve poured everything you got into your, especially if you’re in one location, you’ve poured everything you got into that one location. All of you’ve got your special sauce and all of those people that are really talented at what they do. And now you’re like, we need to grow. And maybe that’s another location. And okay, how how are we going to do that?Curt Banter — And I think a lot of people are really commonly saying, okay, we’re going to stretch that base over two. And a lot of times you can sort of get away with that a little bit. But what tell you what you go to three or even as you really fully expand into two, you’re going to feeling it. And so the the thing I would always say is, again, think about your long-term strategy. Rich Birch — That’s good.Curt Banter — Think about what you’re going to need in terms of your team, in terms of repetition and process. And it just it’s going to serve you so well in the long run to be thinking about how the people play into this and how you’re going reproduce it versus just you know getting through this moment.Rich Birch — That’s so good. Well, appreciate you guys being on today. Again, if you want more information on Portable Church, you can just drop by portablechurch.com. There’s a ton of information on there, lots of helpful resources and all that.Rich Birch — And if you want to talk to Jeff specifically, just go to portablechurch.com/Jeff. He would love to jump on a call with you and talk you through whatever you know kind of issues, or even if it’s just like, hey, we’re kind of thinking about this.Rich Birch — What questions should we be asking? He would love to jump on a call with you. So thanks so much, gentlemen. I appreciate you being here today.Curt Banter — It’s good to be here.Jeffrey Beachum — Thanks. Appreciate it Rich.

Explore the latest tech and accessibility insights from the Zero Project Conference in Vienna with Steven Scott, Shaun Preece, and the ever-charismatic Mr. F. From innovative assistive devices to affordable smart canes and Meta's conversation-focus glasses, this episode uncovers the real challenges and opportunities in accessible technology. In this engaging episode of Double Tap, Steven reports from Vienna at the bustling Zero Project Conference, where leaders in accessibility and assistive technology converge. He shares first-hand experiences of cutting-edge tech, including Meta's AI-powered conversation-focus glasses, affordable smart canes from Torchit, and dual-purpose wearable OCR devices for blind users. The team explores the importance of engaging the disabled community during product development, discusses the high cost of assistive tech, and debates why so many innovations duplicate existing features without improving on them. Mr. F adds humour and perspective, sharing stories from the conference floor, speed networking, and the quirks of modern devices like smart TVs. From the future of AI-powered smart homes to the upcoming Focus 40 6th Generation braille display, the conversation digs deep into the state of accessibility today, why cost and awareness remain barriers, and how much potential there is for truly inclusive innovation. Relevant Links Zero Project: https://zeroproject.org Find Double Tap online: YouTube, Double Tap Website---Follow on:YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtubeX (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/xInstagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagramTikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktokThreads: https://www.doubletaponair.com/threadsFacebook: https://www.doubletaponair.com/facebookLinkedIn: https://www.doubletaponair.com/linkedin Subscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheart About Double TapHosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited. "Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chronic disease isn't just caused by what you eat. In this video, uncover the indoor lighting dangers you probably don't know about! Find out how to stop circadian rhythm disruption, melatonin suppression, and other modern lighting health problems.Download Dr. Berg's Free Daily Health Routine: https://drbrg.co/46POGyB0:00 Introduction: Artificial light health effects1:45 Lux explained2:50 Why indoor lighting is bad for your health4:36 Indoor lighting and melatonin suppression4:57 Indoor lighting and sleep7:44 How to improve sleep and reduce circadian rhythm disruptionLight affects the circadian system, which in turn influences your mood, metabolism, hormones, sleep, and more. The circadian rhythm is a clock controlled by light and dark signals. In our modern-day environment, the days are too dim and the nights are too bright. During the day, sunlight is filtered through glass, preventing exposure to UV and infrared light, and at night, we're exposed to LED lights, TVs, phones, and tablets. We're dealing with a lack of contrast! Historically, humans were exposed to significantly more light during the day and minimal light at night. Modern lighting leads to melatonin suppression and affects your sleep and cortisol levels. Most people are not getting the restful sleep that they need. This affects the metabolism, insulin, blood sugar, and mood. Research has shown that bright nighttime light exposure can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes. Increasing sunlight exposure alone can improve your blood sugar, while evening bright light exposure can worsen it. Constant lighting is even considered psychologically harmful. Humans have evolved with significantly more light contrast, so we're dealing with an ancestral mismatch. To restore your circadian rhythm and combat the harmful effects of indoor lighting, try the following:1. Make your days aggressively brightEnsure adequate sun exposure before noon, and avoid wearing sunglasses. 2. Make the night genuinely dark Turn off overhead lighting, use soft night-lights, and dim screens 3 hours before bed.3. Restore contrast Focus on bright light during the day and remove light sources from your room at night. Replace light bulbs with incandescent lights if possible. Addressing the problems with modern light is one of the easiest ways to improve sleep naturally and restore your circadian rhythm. Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:Dr. Berg, age 60, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals and author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.Disclaimer: Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients, so he can focus on educating people as a full-time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose, and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

On this episode we take a trip around the world of whiskey with Kamiki from Japan and Kyro from Finland while talking about old games on the new TV, being scared of the ocarina of time, cathode ray tube TVs, all of the pixels are blending and diffusing, JeffGordon.com, licking a bunch of cedar trees, the smells of the garden center, good ole manilla envelope, what if Walmart and a Lowes had a baby, distilled asparagus, Sonic and Mario, honing your skills to play 80s video games, mental fortitude for failure, Batman and Lion King, and being a whiskey traveler.  Support Us On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DrepandStone We'd love to hear from you! https://linktr.ee/DrepandStone Don't forget to subscribe! Music by @joakimkarudmusic Episode #334

SHOW NOTESIn this episode, Tony and I discussed:Seura's evolution from outdoor TVs to its leadership in mirror technology Why lighted mirrors are becoming a must-have in luxury homes and hospitality spaces The importance of “no fear selling” and building trust with clients to deliver personalized, high-value solutions Tony brings a powerful mix of industry knowledge, grassroots sales experience, and a passion for showing integrators how to stand out in a competitive market. Whether you're in custom integration, design, or simply curious about where technology meets elegance, this episode is for you.So settle in and enjoy my conversation with Tony Blodgett of Seura. Let's get started!To get transcripts, resources of what was mentioned in the show, and more visit: onefirefly.com/au344

Patrick brings the smartphone struggle front and center, questioning why tech and social media seem to influence children more than their own families. Parents call in with raw confessions, regrets, and inventive solutions, from holding out on smartphones to battling the sneaky ways kids get around controls, while stories of bikes, banana seats, and even Maseratis bring humor and a touch of nostalgia to the mix. Rules, boundaries, and values collide with modern tech, leaving listeners weighing connection, safety, and family sanity in a world where a phone can change everything. Audio: Once kids get smart phones, family life turns into a fight over screen time . . . - https://x.com/drantbradley/status/2012876836502405511 (00:23) Audio: just because everyone is doing it doesn’t mean your kids should do it too - https://x.com/modernxdad/status/2015262851414544684 (02:21) Todd - Smart phone: I challenge you to switch to a flip phone and have kids watch Gun Smoke (09:14) Liz - We are a family of smart phone holdouts, and we gave our kids flip phones and my kids don't care. (10:25) Melissa - A counselor told me that I should get my kid a phone so she could feel more part of other kids' social circles. That was the beginning of the end. (19:36) Jorge - From where I come from, we didn't have TVs. I think I can enjoy the benefit of learning without it. I compare the TVs of yesterday to the phone today. (23:29) Jessica - Smart phones: Somethings that helped me prolong the eventuality of kids getting a phone was a straight A report card. (29:09) Gloria - Smart phone: I set parameters for my kids. My children wanted them at a young age. I did a lot of research before getting them phones. We used a lot of the parental controls available. I think it is working out. (34:14) Marie - I have a teenager and a preteen. I totally agree with Patrick. My 10-year-old hacked my iPad and removed restrictions. (40:27) Andrew - I am a parent of 6 kids. I struggle with how smart phones can lead to the sin of envy. (44:31) John - My college age son argues that killing in video games is moral and I argue it is not. Can you help me? (49:02) Originally Aired on 01/29/26

Dr. Sky and expert Patrick Wood explore the encroachment of technocracy and the shifting boundaries of human privacy in an increasingly digital world. The conversation centers on the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, specifically focusing on the alarming transition toward self-programming AI models that function without human intervention. Wood details a betrayal by tech oligarchs who have integrated private data into government systems, facilitating an era of pervasive surveillance through common devices like smart TVs and ring doorbells. By defining transhumanism and the Great Reset, the program warns of a future where humans may be pressured to merge with technology to remain relevant.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vacuum tubes are supposed to be extinct yet here we are in 2026 still arguing swapping and occasionally getting electrocuted. In this episode Mitch Anderson, Eric Pye, and Jeremy Sikora strip the romance out of valves and talk about why they still matter without leaning on lazy audiophile clichés. The discussion cuts through tube rolling reality versus placebo and the ongoing new production versus NOS debate. It also looks at why Ray Tubes are suddenly on everyone's radar and what Jeremy's amp building class at the American Wireless Communication Museum teaches you that spec sheets never will.Along the way, we connect the dots between Talk Talk's obsessive studio craft, Miles Davis with Jimmy Cobb's unshakable timing, and the Tron soundtrack, while getting very real about tube amp safety; from blown parts to painful zaps, because high voltage does not care how experienced you think you are.Thank you to SVS and Shure for their support of our programming!https://www.svsound.comhttps://www.shure.comCredits:• Original intro music by The Arc of All. https://sourceoflightandpower.bandcamp.com• Voice Over Provided by Todd Harrell of SSP Unlimited. https://sspunlimited.com• Production by Mitch Anderson, Black Circle Studios. https://blackcircleradio.comDon't forget to check our website for daily updates on the latest electronics, news, recommendations, and deals on high-end audio, loudspeakers, earphones, TVs, and more.https://www.ecoustics.com#raytubes #vacuumtubes #audiovalves #vinylcommunity #audioloveyyc #budgetaudiophiler #blackcircleradio #ecoustics #hifi #audiophile #hometheater #listeningroom #musicindustry #analogaudio 

SHOW SCHEDULE 2-11-2026NEVSKY PROSPECT Guest: Mark Clifford. Clifford details the sentencing of British citizen Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison, arguing China is using the case to signal it will crush any dissent regardless of international prestige. Guest: Mark Clifford. Clifford condemns UK PM Starmer for failing to demand Jimmy Lai's release during his China visit, accusing the leader of prioritizing trade over the safety of British citizens. Guest: Ivana Stradner. Russia employs "TV BRICS" and information warfare to control narratives in the Global South, aiming to undermine Western influence and establish a multipolar world order without using kinetic force. Guest: Simon Constable. As Storm Nills approaches France, Constable reports on rising copper prices and volatile gold, while noting UK PM Starmer faces severe political pressure from opposition parties. Guest: Bob Zimmerman. Persistent hydrogen leaks delay the Artemis 2 mission; Zimmerman questions Administrator Isaacman's move to reduce reliance on private contractors, fearing it may stifle efficiency and innovation. Guest: Bob Zimmerman. Musk announces SpaceX will prioritize the Moon before Mars; regulatory approvals for Starship launches are pending, while Voyager Space secures a management contract for ISS operations. Guest: Bob Zimmerman. Starfish Space wins Pentagon contracts for satellite servicing; a new constellation, Logos, enters the market, while India plans an ambitious lunar sample return mission. Guest: Bob Zimmerman. Scientists link Enceladus to Saturn's aurora; radar data suggests a lava tube exists on Venus, and archives reveal Pluto retains an atmosphere despite its distance from the sun. Guest: Captain James Fanell (Ret.). With carrier groups near Iran and Venezuela, Fanell discusses the threat of anti-ship missiles in choke points and the necessity of naval power to deter adversaries. Guest: Charles Ortel. Ortel highlights strong private sector growth in Malaysia and Indonesia, contrasting it with China's economic struggles and the state's "national team" intervening to prop up markets. Guest: Charles Burton. A mass shooting shocks British Columbia; tensions rise over the Gordie Howe Bridgeownership as Canada seeks to diversify trade away from the U.S. amid protectionist threats. Guest: Charles Burton. Canada lowers tariffs on Chinese EVs to court Beijing; Burton warns this "strategic partnership" ignores security risks regarding data collection and Chinese influence operations. Guest: Craig Unger. Unger explains how Trump's 1980 Commodore Hotel deal involved purchasing TVs from a KGB front. This transaction reportedly initiated contact with Russian intelligence, who identified Trump's vanity and greed as ideal traits for recruitment. Guest: Craig Unger. Trump's 1987 Moscow trip, arranged by the KGB, was followed by newspaper ads criticizing U.S. alliances. Unger claims these ads, echoing Soviet talking points, combined with real estate dangles to seal the recruitment deal. Guest: Craig Unger. Unger highlights two women with Russian intelligence ties who worked for Jeffrey Epstein. He suggests Epstein's operation gathered "kompromat" on elites and questions why the FBI failed to investigate these foreign intelligence connections. Guest: Craig Unger. An interview by a Russian diplomat's daughter released post-election served as a reminder of Trump's recruitment. Unger discusses missing Epstein tapes, potential disinformation, and Putin's continued influence over Trump's foreign policy decisions.

Guest: Craig Unger. Unger explains how Trump's 1980 Commodore Hotel deal involved purchasing TVs from a KGBfront. This transaction reportedly initiated contact with Russian intelligence, who identified Trump's vanity and greed as ideal traits for recruitment.1936 HERALD SQUARE

“This, my friends, is the master bedroom. Check out the cathedral ceilings, those are like 17 feet high. We have cable readiness right there. I am going to totally pimp this place out."  Bring some wine glasses and…a person—this week we're talking about Michael's Condo! Following in the tradition of our location-specific episodes, we dedicate this week's show to Michael's humble abode, bachelor pad, and (according to Dwight) his coffin. We ago through the appearances and evolution of the space, from its empty beginnings to its Dinner Party decor and its final appearance as part of the Michael Scott Paper Company. And naturally we mention all of the plasma screen TVs, hand chairs, and enormous breakfasts along the way.  Then we head to the Conference Room where we discuss the mockumentary format and give some thoughts on the Super Bowl!  Support our show and become a member of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scott's Tots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Patreon! For only $5/month, Tots get ad-free episodes plus exclusive access to our monthly Mailbag episodes where we casually pick through every single message/question/comment we receive. We also have bonus series available to our Patrons, like our White Lotus Special, Party Down, Ted Lasso, Survivor content, and unreleased episodes of this show. Oh, and Tots get access to exclusive channels on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on The Lexy Show, we're sitting down with the founder of Nostalgic Nooks, a Brooklyn-based creative venture transforming vintage electronics into cozy, one‑of‑a‑kind pet furniture. What started as a personal creative project—upcycling discarded radios and TVs into elegant pet beds—has grown into a beloved boutique that marries nostalgia, craftsmanship, and sustainability.  In our conversation, we explore how the brand was born at the intersection of retro charm and pure ingenuity, why preserving original vintage character matters, and how a playful idea became a thriving creative business. We dig into the tactile joy of breathing new life into forgotten objects and what it's like to build a community around something as whimsical and meaningful as pet furniture built from relics of the past.  We also discuss the emotional and environmental value of upcycling and how Nostalgic Nooks offers a new perspective on sustainable creative work—reminding us that the stories embedded in objects can live on in beautiful, functional ways. Whether you're a fan of vintage design, curious about sustainable creativity, or simply love hearing inspiring maker stories, this episode is a must‑listen.Tune in for a conversation that's equal parts heart, humor, and handmade magic.#TheLexyShow #NostalgicNooks #Upcycling #SustainableDesign #CreativeEntrepreneurs

She was the golden voice of the big band era, lighting up ballrooms, radios and TVs across America. She sang two of the greatest big band hits ever recorded: "Green Eyes," and "Tangerine." And, she had a voice that could melt hearts. Helen O'Connell left an indelible mark on American music and culture. She continued to entertain after those sold-out swing crowds faded and she was here in Milwaukee, entertaining with two other golden legends.

Is your phone quietly stealing your real connections?

Lionel dissects the bizarre and confusing disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, questioning the "stoic" behavior of her family and the incompetence of a law enforcement investigation that includes searching septic tanks and contaminated crime scenes. Lionel also takes aim at "proud Luddites" who brag about not owning TVs or Wi-Fi, and debates whether the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Bad Bunny was a cultural statement or just a massive commercial for Apple Music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

**Discussion begins at 7:30**There is a viral social media tale circulating that claims Mr Whatsit from Stranger Things was inspired by the real life tale of a shared imaginary friend in small town Wyoming.  Netfllix Updates posted:  ‘The Duffer Brothers were reportedly inspired by a strange real-life school incident from 1962 when creating Mr. Whatsit. That year, reports claimed that 37 children who had never met or spoken to each other all drew the same imaginary friend a tall, faceless man with a top hat. Psychologists later suggested it may have been a rare case of shared imagery, where children exposed to similar stress or environments unknowingly created the same disturbing mental figure.'  OddlyHorrifying posted to following:  ‘In spring 1962, teachers at a small school in Wyoming made a chilling discovery. Over 30 children from different grades, who barely spoke to each other had drawn the exact same figure during art class. A tall man. No mouth. Just hollow eyes and something in his hand: a cord made of hair.  They called him “Yellow Echo.” The kids said he only came when it rained. That he whispered through TVs. That he told them things they shouldn't know like where one teacher kept his gun. Two weeks later, that teacher vanished. So did every drawing. The only thing left behind? A tape recorder, still running. It captured a child's voice whispering: ‘We didn't draw him. We remembered him.' ‘Today we're going to get to the bottom of the facts and rumors surrounding the alleged Yellow Echo, and discuss the true inspiration for Mr Whatsit. Send a textSupport the showTheme song by INDA

On this episode, Marty goes to war with Amazon over a big-screen TV delivery that turns into a masterclass in customer-service purgatory — missed deliveries, corporate chaos, and one man questioning every life decision that led him to click *"Buy Now." Meanwhile, Albert somehow gets into a major car accident without even being in the car. Was it a hit? A run? A ghost? Is the car totaled? Insurance adjusters are confused, Albert is confused, and honestly… so are we. Then we bring the chaos into focus with featherweight MMA fighter Luis Sariles in studio

Former Aurora city council member Danielle Jurinsky is now focusing most of her time on running her sports bar, J.J.'s Place. She joins George Brauchler (in for Dan) after a viral post about encountering a spirited divide between patrons during the Super Bowl on whether to put the Bad Bunny or Kid Rock/Turning Point USA halftime shows up on the TVs in the establishment.JJ's Place Aurora

What does the future of motorsports media really look like in a world of cable TV, streaming apps, FAST channels, YouTube, and creators?In this Race Industry Week by EPARTRADE interview, CJ Olivares, President of RACER Network, breaks down the bold transformation of the former MAVTV operation into a fully re-energized, multi-platform motorsports destination built for fans around the world.Now operating as RACER Network, the moving-media arm of RACER spans:• A national cable television network• The RACER+ app with expanded live and on-demand racing• A global FAST channel (free ad-supported TV) on connected TVs and devices

► If you enjoyed the episode, please leave us a good review!► More from PIF: https://linktr.ee/practicalislamicfinanceFollow This #1 Rule to Outsmart Inflation and the MarketIn this episode, we will cover:Why US debt is spiralingWhy governments can't stop borrowingDebt, money printing, and inflation explainedProductivity vs inflation (TVs vs land)Scarcity: gold, Bitcoin, silver performanceThe #1 rule to protect your wealthFinal thoughts & PIF portfolios CONTACT USsalam@practicalislamicfinace.comABOUT OUR PODCASTOur podcast is about helping people ethically build wealth. We cover a broad range of topics, including stock and crypto investing, product reviews, and general financial well-being.

Pags unloads on the NFL for embracing what he calls anti-patriotic, woke policies that are driving everyday Americans to turn their TVs off. The crew debates whether Bad Bunny could possibly unite the country (spoiler: they strongly disagree), sparking playful but pointed banter you have to hear. Pags then lays out what TrumpRx.gov actually means for you — cutting through the noise with a clear, practical breakdown. The hour closes with Part Two of a no-holds-barred conversation with rock legend Ted Nugent, who issues a blunt warning to the National Football League over its Super Bowl halftime choices featuring Bad Bunny and Green Day. Nugent dives into what he calls the “mind virus” infecting music and sports, why traditional American values are under attack, and how the Second Amendment fight ties into the bigger cultural battle. Loud, unapologetic, and built to keep you listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's show we look at HDTV Display Technologies that are no longer with us. Some had a short run and some never made it to the market. We also read your emails and take a look at the week's news. News: LG pulls the plug on 8K OLED and 8K LCD TVs Apple's home hub could finally arrive this spring with a rather unique design Roku is Testing a New Home Screen With A New Look Google Home update brings more automation controls HDTV Display Technologies That Are No Longer With Us Over the 21 years we have been doing the show we have seen numerous HDTV display technologies come and go. Some never made it to market and some had a good run but were eventually beat out by something better. These technologies competed during the transition from bulky CRTs to flat panels, but most lost out as LCD, later becoming LED-backlit LCD, then OLED, became dominant for reasons like cost, scalability, picture quality improvements, and manufacturing ease. Technologies That Were Proposed/Demonstrated but Never Commercially Released to Consumers SED (Surface-Conduction Electron-Emitter Display)Developed primarily by a Canon and Toshiba joint venture starting in the late 1990s/early 2000s. It was essentially a flat-panel evolution of CRT technology using electron emitters for each pixel, promising CRT-like motion handling, deep blacks, high contrast, fast response times, and low power in a slim form factor. Prototypes were shown around 2005–2007 with impressive demos. Why it didn't make it: Repeated delays due to manufacturing challenges (high production costs, difficulty scaling/vacuum sealing), patent disputes, and aggressive price drops in LCD/plasma panels. Then by 2009–2010, LCD had become too dominant and cheap; Canon officially froze consumer SED development in 2010, shifting any remaining efforts to niche professional uses. FED (Field-Emission Display)Similar to SED and sometimes grouped together or seen as a precursor/variant. FED used field-emission electron sources (like microtips) for CRT-style performance in a flat panel. Demonstrated in prototypes in the 2000s by companies like Sony and Motorola. Why it didn't make it: Development took too long; manufacturing complexity and yield issues made it unviable. It was overtaken by faster-scaling plasma and then LCD/OLED technologies before reaching mass production. Technologies That Reached the Market but Were Discontinued DLP (Digital Light Processing) Rear-Projection TVsUsed Texas Instruments' DMD (digital micromirror device) chips to reflect light, often with a color wheel for sequential color (or pricier 3-chip versions). Popular in the mid-2000s for large-screen (50–70+ inch) HDTVs from brands like Samsung, Mitsubishi, RCA, and Toshiba, offering good brightness, no burn-in, and sharp images at competitive prices. Why discontinued: Bulky depth (even if thinner than CRT rear-projection), lamp replacements needed, rainbow artifacts (on single-chip models), poor off-angle viewing, and vulnerability to ambient light. As flat-panel LCD and plasma prices fell dramatically in the late 2000s, consumers preferred slim, wall-mountable designs. Rear-projection DLP TVs largely vanished by around 2010. LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) / Variants like D-ILA (JVC) and SXRD (Sony)A reflective microdisplay tech using liquid crystals on a silicon backplane, often in rear-projection or some front-projection setups. Offered excellent contrast, deep blacks, and smooth motion (better than early LCDs). Available in HDTVs from JVC, Sony, and others in the mid-2000s. Why largely discontinued for direct-view TVs: High cost, manufacturing complexity, and lower brightness compared to emerging flat panels. Rear-projection versions suffered the same bulkiness issues as DLP. While LCOS survives today in high-end projectors mostly in JVC and Sony home theater models, it never scaled to mainstream direct-view flat-panel HDTVs and was eclipsed by LCD advancements. Plasma Display Panel (PDP / Plasma TVs)Used ionized gas (plasma) cells to create light, excelling in black levels, contrast, color accuracy, wide viewing angles, and no motion blur. Very popular for HDTV in the 2000s from Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung, and LG. Why discontinued: High power consumption, heat generation, heavier panels, burn-in risk (though mitigated later), and difficulty scaling to 4K efficiently/cost-effectively. As LCD/LED prices dropped with better brightness, efficiency, and no burn-in, plasma couldn't compete economically. Production fully ended around 2014–2015. Other Notable Mentions LCD Rear-Projection TVs — Used transmissive LCD panels; suffered from similar bulk and light issues as DLP; discontinued early-mid 2000s. Direct-view CRT HDTVs — The original standard; fully discontinued by the late 2000s/early 2010s due to size, weight, and inefficiency. Key Reasons Technologies Fail in HDTV Market Regardless of how good a display technology is, the following will keep it from the mass market: Cost & Manufacturing Yield: Technologies requiring ultra-precise processes (SED, FED, LCoS) couldn't hit competitive prices.  Competing Technologies Improve Fast: LCD and later LED/OLED got cheaper and better quicker than rivals could scale. Form Factor Shift: Direct-view panels beat rear-projection (DLP, LCoS, laser) because consumers prefer thin TVs. Performance Tradeoffs: Issues like power use, burn-in, brightness, viewing angles, or reliability hurt consumer uptake.  In summary, the winners were technologies that scaled cheaply to larger sizes, became thinner/lighter, improved efficiency, and avoided major drawbacks like high costs or reliability issues. LCD/LED dominated the 2010s due to mass production advantages, while OLED took premium segments later for superior contrast/per-pixel lighting. Many promising "next-gen" ideas from the 2000s (like SED/FED) simply arrived too late or proved too hard to manufacture affordably.

Episode 2305 - Hat Trick, El Pres, and Kid A.G., dive balls-deep into winter shrinkage, menopause gripes, epic boob worship, porn tax paranoia, AI fake-titty debates, first-time fuck stories, and enough cum-shot compilations to make your screen fog up. The crew kicks off bitching about brutal Michigan cold—shrinkage problems, frozen garage doors, and why bushes are making a comeback for extra warmth (Hat Trick's letting hers grow wild because negative-20 ain't shaving weather).  She drops menopause truth bombs while bragging about her fireman's curved dick hitting all the right spots, why grinding beats bouncing for her, and how she's turned into a cum-glazed legend who saves loads for explosive reunions.  The guys confess their boob obsession—Kid admits dating flat-chested was torture, then maps out bedroom sex angles like a pervert architect, and they roast tiny-tit relationships vs. glorious D-cups. First-time horror stories fly: awkward neighbor bangs, interrupted blowjobs by parents, three-attempt virginity losses, and epic teen horniness.  They pivot to surveillance paranoia—always-listening TVs, targeted ads from casual convos, and porn taxes forcing VPN life. AI gets roasted hard: fake hotties with inconsistent jiggles, deepfake fears, slop music, and whether busty Instagram thirst traps are real or Frankenstein'd.  Hat Trick pushes DP fantasies (double vaginal preferred), cum compilations as quick-nut fuel, and her "golden pussy" legacy—now warning her daughter it's a gift and a curse. Ends with filthy AI-generated songs, butt-check jokes, and merch dreams of titty-star tees dripping in glaze.  Pure unhinged GDS filth—boobs, bush, boners, and big-government dick-measuring. Listen in. Go Deep.

Your image deserves honesty, not “enhancements,” when viewed on a professional display. We sit down with Bram Desmet, CEO of Flanders Scientific, to explore how true reference monitors are built and why that difference matters every time a client asks, “Is this correct?” From ditching mass-market chipsets in favor of custom FPGAs to calibrating each unit individually, Bram lifts the hood on a process designed for one goal: confidence in every pixel.We break down the journey from panel sourcing to firmware, and why QD-OLED is shifting the landscape for colorists and DITs alike. You'll hear how FSI's Gaia Color AutoCal allows you to plug a probe directly into the display, run its own test patches, and map thousands of states from a single master calibration, without a laptop or third-party software. We also dig into the practical wins of QD-OLED: additive RGB for white, exceptional off-axis stability, strong HDR performance, and multiple sizes that make single-monitor rooms a reality.We also talk brightness and the future of reference displays. Is 4,000 nits the sweet spot for HDR grading, or should we be chasing 10,000? Bram shares his thoughts on the creative value of headroom, and why broad QD-OLED adoption across TVs, gaming, phones, and automotive gives this technology real staying power. We chat about the “panel lottery,” FSI's quality-control safeguards, and why every unit ships with verified calibration reports. We also touch on how one accurate display in the finishing suite helps teams focus on creative intent instead of negotiating screen differences.If you care about color accuracy, translation, and saving hours of guesswork, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a fellow color nerd, and leave a review telling us what your current monitoring setup looks like and what you're upgrading next.Guest Links:IG – https://www.instagram.com/bramrdesmet/Website – https://www.flandersscientific.com/Send us a textPixelToolsModern Color Grading Tools and Presets for DaVinci Resolve  Flanders Scientific Inc. (FSI)High-Quality Reference Displays for Editors, Colorists and DITSDeMystify ColorColor Training and Color Grading ToolsDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showLike the show? Leave a review!This episode is brought to you by FSI, DeMystify Color, and PixelToolsFollow Us on Social: Instagram @colorandcoffeepodcast YouTube @ColorandCoffee Produced by Bowdacious Media LLC

More To The Story: This weekend, American football fans will be glued to their TVs to watch the New England Patriots play the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. From the NCAA to the NFL, sports are a dominant aspect of American culture. But the sports industry is also rife with controversy. From financial scandals to transgender rights, DEI, and Bad Bunny, there's no shortage of sports stories to tell. However, investigative sports journalism is a shell of its former self. That's where Pablo Torre comes in.A longtime sports journalist and now host of the podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out, Torre prides himself on digging into the important stories that are often unnoticed or underreported. On this week's More To The Story, Torre sits down with host Al Letson to discuss what it's like investigating the complicated world of sports. Producer: Josh Sanburn | Editor: Kara McGuirk-Allison | Theme music: Fernando Arruda and Jim Briggs | Copy editor: Nikki Frick | Digital producer: Artis Curiskis | Deputy executive producer: Taki Telonidis | Executive producer: Brett Myers | Executive editor: James West | Host: Al LetsonListen: How Sports Became a Battleground Over Trans Rights (Reveal)Read: How Right-Wing Superstar Riley Gaines Built an Anti-Trans Empire (Mother Jones and Pablo Torre Finds Out)Watch: What Is Riley Gaines Hiding? We Investigated (Pablo Torre Finds Out) Donate today at Revealnews.org/more Subscribe to our weekly newsletter at Revealnews.org/weekly Follow us on Instagram and Bluesky Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

More To The Story: This weekend, American football fans will be glued to their TVs to watch the New England Patriots play the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. From the NCAA to the NFL, sports are a dominant aspect of American culture. But the sports industry is also rife with controversy. From financial scandals to transgender rights, DEI, and Bad Bunny, there's no shortage of sports stories to tell. However, investigative sports journalism is a shell of its former self. That's where Pablo Torre comes in.A longtime sports journalist and now host of the podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out, Torre prides himself on digging into the important stories that are often unnoticed or underreported. On this week's More To The Story, Torre sits down with host Al Letson to discuss what it's like investigating the complicated world of sports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Creator Economy - beyond social media with Brian FitzgeraldI'm Brian Fitzgerald, former IP attorney, artist and serial tech entrepreneur.  I have founded and sold several companies.  My latest venture is Liquid Canvas, the Spotify of art for TVs.  My value is that I site at the crossroads of tech, entrepreneurship, business, and culture.  I have over 35 years of deal making, investing and operational experience.Links:https://www.liquidcanvas.art/TagsArts,Dogs,Early Childhood Education,Education Technology,Immersive Art,Non-Fungible Token (NFT),Photography,Tech Entrepreneur,Technology,Technology Executive,Live Video Podcast Interview,Podcast,Podmatch ,Interview,AISupport PEG by checking out our Sponsors:Download and use Newsly for free now from www.newsly.me or from the link in the description, and use promo code “GHOST” and receive a 1-month free premium subscription.The best tool for getting podcast guests:https://podmatch.com/signup/phantomelectricghostSubscribe to our Instagram for exclusive content:https://www.instagram.com/expansive_sound_experiments/Subscribe to our YouTube https://youtube.com/@phantomelectricghost?si=rEyT56WQvDsAoRprRSShttps://anchor.fm/s/3b31908/podcast/rssSubstackhttps://substack.com/@phantomelectricghost?utm_source=edit-profile-page

KTLA & KFI tech reporter Rich DeMuro joins the show for ‘Tech Tuesday.’ Today, Rich Mike talks about how to watch the Super Bowl, what to look for in new TVs, and Apple's new AirTagSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

O varejo está passando por uma das maiores transformações da história impulsionado por tecnologia, dados, inteligência artificial e novos hábitos de consumo. No episódio de hoje do Podcast Canaltech, Fernanda Santos conversa com Thiago Furbino, fundador da TLMF, diretor de Growth da Abiacom e Host do No Varejo Podcast sobre as principais tendências do setor, o impacto da IA nas decisões de compra, o futuro do trabalho no varejo e o papel do Brasil nesse cenário. A conversa mostra como essas mudanças afetam diretamente o dia a dia das pessoas, desde o que aparece no feed até a forma como somos atendidos nas lojas e por que o equilíbrio entre tecnologia e pessoas é cada vez mais essencial. Você também vai conferir: Meta promete investimento histórico em IA e ações disparam na bolsa, Perplexity lança app para TVs da Samsung e leva IA para a tela da sala e BMW corta emissão de carbono com novas tecnologias. Este podcast foi roteirizado e apresentado por Fernada Santos e contou com reportagens de Danielle Cassita, Marcelo Fishcer e João Melo sob coordenação de Anaísa Catucci. A trilha sonora é de Guilherme Zomer, a edição de Leandro Gomes e a arte da capa é de Erick Teixeira. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A LG está ampliando sua presença no Brasil com um investimento bilionário no Paraná e aposta cada vez mais em inteligência artificial e casas conectadas. No episódio de hoje do Podcast Canaltech, Leo Muller, editor de Produtos do Canaltech, conversa com Daniel Song, presidente da LG Brasil e CEO da LG Latam, sobre a nova fábrica em Fazenda Rio Grande, os planos da empresa para o mercado brasileiro, a evolução dos eletrodomésticos inteligentes e o futuro dos robôs domésticos. Daniel explica como a LG estuda o comportamento do consumidor para desenvolver produtos mais conectados à rotina das pessoas, fala sobre o conceito de “zero tarefas domésticas” e revela em quanto tempo essa tecnologia pode chegar às casas brasileiras. O episódio também discute o posicionamento da marca além das TVs, os desafios da automação no dia a dia e o impacto da inteligência artificial na vida dos consumidores. Você também vai conferir: Tesla encerra dois modelos para investir em robôs humanoides, falha em brinquedos com IA expõe dados de milhares de crianças e Epic acusa Steam de prejudicar desenvolvedores. Este podcast foi roteirizado e apresentado por Fernada Santos e contou com reportagens de Paulo Amaral, Jaqueline Sousa e Diego Corumba, sob coordenação de Anaísa Catucci. A trilha sonora é de Guilherme Zomer, a edição de Yuri Souza e a arte da capa é de Erick Teixeira.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The "Psycho Killer" arrives in AEW, MJF and Brody King heat up, and is there too much Don Callis Family on our TVs? Plus, a look back at Joe vs. Darby from 2023.Listen to the episode on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTubeTim and Tom are back to break down a wild episode of AEW Dynamite as we roll toward Grand Slam Australia and Revolution. It's a “Better 2026” so far, but this week left us with plenty of questions.We kick things off with a little trip down memory lane to February 1, 2023, for the brutal No Holds Barred TNT Championship match between Samoa Joe and Darby Allin. Then, we dive straight into the action from Austin, Texas.The Highlights* Ciampa is All Elite: In the night's biggest surprise, Tommaso Ciampa (introduced as “Psycho Killer”) made his debut, confronting Mark Briscoe after his title defense against El Clon. We discuss the potential for a “School Boy” babyface run vs. a quick turn to the dark side.* Andrade Shocks Swerve: The main event saw Andrade El Idolo defeat Swerve Strickland (with some low-blow assistance). We break down what this means for Kenny Omega, who now faces Andrade, and whether Swerve is heading for a revenge tour.* MJF vs. Brody King: A great promo battle where MJF dropped the “liberal Nazi” line and Brody King leaned into his monster persona. We discuss why this feud works and where it fits in the crowded world title picture.* Don Callis Overload: From opening promos to commentary to backstage segments, the Don Callis Family was everywhere. We debate if it's becoming too much and if the cracks between Okada, Fletcher, and Takeshita are finally starting to show.Join the ConversationWhat did you think of Ciampa's debut? Are you feeling the Don Callis fatigue? Let us know in the comments or send us an email (text, audio, or video) to aewrapup@gmail.com, and we might play it on the next show!* Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/www.allelitewrapup.com* YouTube: Subscribe to the channel This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.allelitewrapup.com

eCoustics Vintage Editor Eric Pye and Producer Mitch Anderson sit down with Dave Kelley, President of KLH, for a grounded conversation on loudspeaker design, KLH's history, and how a legacy brand operates in today's market without leaning on nostalgia as a crutch.The discussion traces the influence of Henry Kloss, the shared DNA linking Klipsch, Kelley, Kyocera, and KLH, and how those ideas continue to inform real-world speaker engineering. Attention turns to KLH's current lineup—specifically the Model Three, Model Five, and Model Seven—with the Five and Seven competing for Eric's eCoustics 2025 Editors' Choice Floorstanding Loudspeakers vote based on listening, not legacy. If you want a clear-eyed look at where KLH has been and why its modern speakers still deserve serious consideration, this episode delivers without the marketing gloss.Thank you to SVS and Shure for their support of our programming!https://www.svsound.comhttps://www.shure.comCredits:• Original intro music by The Arc of All. https://sourceoflightandpower.bandcamp.com• Voice Over Provided by Todd Harrell of SSP Unlimited. https://sspunlimited.com• Production by Mitch Anderson, Black Circle Studios. https://blackcircleradio.comDon't forget to check our website for daily updates on the latest electronics, news, recommendations, and deals on high-end audio, loudspeakers, earphones, TVs, and more.https://www.ecoustics.com#KLHspeakers #vinylcommunity #audioloveyyc #KLHModelSeven #ecoustics #hifi #audiophile #hometheater #listeningroom #musicindustry #loudspeakerdesign #HIFIHistory

Patrick brings the smartphone struggle front and center, questioning why tech and social media seem to influence children more than their own families. Parents call in with raw confessions, regrets, and inventive solutions, from holding out on smartphones to battling the sneaky ways kids get around controls, while stories of bikes, banana seats, and even Maseratis bring humor and a touch of nostalgia to the mix. Rules, boundaries, and values collide with modern tech, leaving listeners weighing connection, safety, and family sanity in a world where a phone can change everything. Audio: Once kids get smart phones, family life turns into a fight over screen time . . . - https://x.com/drantbradley/status/2012876836502405511 (00:23) Audio: just because everyone is doing it doesn’t mean your kids should do it too - https://x.com/modernxdad/status/2015262851414544684 (02:21) Todd - Smart phone: I challenge you to switch to a flip phone and have kids watch Gun Smoke (09:14) Liz - We are a family of smart phone holdouts, and we gave our kids flip phones and my kids don't care. (10:25) Melissa - A counselor told me that I should get my kid a phone so she could feel more part of other kids' social circles. That was the beginning of the end. (19:36) Jorge - From where I come from, we didn't have TVs. I think I can enjoy the benefit of learning without it. I compare the TVs of yesterday to the phone today. (23:29) Jessica - Smart phones: Somethings that helped me prolong the eventuality of kids getting a phone was a straight A report card. (29:09) Gloria - Smart phone: I set parameters for my kids. My children wanted them at a young age. I did a lot of research before getting them phones. We used a lot of the parental controls available. I think it is working out. (34:14) Marie - I have a teenager and a preteen. I totally agree with Patrick. My 10-year-old hacked my iPad and removed restrictions. (40:27) Andrew - I am a parent of 6 kids. I struggle with how smart phones can lead to the sin of envy. (44:31) John - My college age son argues that killing in video games is moral and I argue it is not. Can you help me? (49:02)

In this episode, Dave Bernath, CEO of Wurl and former Comedy Central GM, explains the technology infrastructure behind ad-supported streaming TV. The conversation covers how FAST channels work, the relationship between content owners and platforms, and why major studios sometimes cede advertising control to distributors. Bernath discusses contextual targeting that matches emotional tone between ads and content, the gap between streaming viewership (45%) and ad spending (15%), and attribution challenges on connected TV. He also addresses YouTube's dominance on connected TVs, metadata inconsistencies in programmatic advertising, and opportunities for small and mid-sized businesses to access TV advertising at scale.

Episode 274Menace is back, and we're going full wrestling nostalgia while keeping one eye on modern WWE.In this episode we talk about growing up watching WWE pay-per-views on grainy TVs, adjusting antennas, and hoping the cable didn't cut out during the main event. From those memories to WWE Unreal Season 2 on Netflix, we connect the past to the present and talk about what keeps us hooked.We break down this weekend's Royal Rumble, share our predictions, and discuss who we think could win — plus possible surprise appearances that could shake everything up.This episode is for anyone who:Grew up watching wrestling with friends or familyStill remembers scrambled PPV channels and VHS tapesLoves Royal Rumble season and fantasy bookingEnjoys mixing nostalgia with today's WWE conversationOld-school memories, modern wrestling, and the moments that turned us into lifelong fans.

Com a chegada da temporada de chuvas, quedas e oscilações de energia se tornam mais frequentes e o risco para eletrônicos vai muito além de raios. Muitas vezes, o maior perigo está em algo quase imperceptível: os picos de tensão que acontecem no momento em que a energia volta. No episódio de hoje do Podcast Canaltech, Fernanda Santos conversa com Rubens Lorenço Neto, gerente de nobreaks da Intelbras, para explicar por que esses surtos invisíveis podem danificar equipamentos como roteadores, computadores, TVs e até eletrodomésticos. Ao longo do episódio, você vai entender quais aparelhos sofrem mais com a instabilidade da rede elétrica, como identificar sinais de alerta dentro de casa e quais cuidados realmente fazem diferença para evitar prejuízos, especialmente para quem trabalha em home office ou depende da internet no dia a dia. Você também vai conferir: Google Fotos agora cria vídeos com IA a partir de uma única foto, novo anel promete fazer você sentir objetos no mundo virtual e Uber leva corridas com carros elétricos para mais duas capitais brasileiras. Este podcast foi roteirizado e apresentado por Fernada Santos e contou com reportagens de João Melo e Nathan Vieira, sob coordenação de Anaísa Catucci. A trilha sonora é de Guilherme Zomer, a edição de Jully Cruz e a arte da capa é de Erick Teixeira.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rapport från kaoset i Minneapolis. Två S-politiker gripna i kommunrazzia. Nytt bottenrekord för Liberalerna. Och Gröna Lund döms till miljonböter. Programledare: Cassandra Alm.

The surgeon accused of killing Monique and Spencer Tepe in their Columbus home entered a not guilty plea Friday. Michael McKee stood silent while his defense attorney, Diane Menashe, spoke for him. That choice of attorney tells you everything about how this case is going to be fought.Menashe is the same lawyer who defended Dr. William Husel in 2022 — the Mount Carmel physician charged with murdering fourteen patients through allegedly lethal fentanyl doses. She called one witness during the entire defense. Husel was acquitted on all counts. Now she's representing another doctor facing murder charges.The prosecution includes Franklin County Prosecutor Shayla Favor, taking on her first felony case after a career in property code enforcement. She'll be supported by veteran homicide prosecutors, but the matchup raises questions about experience and strategy in a case drawing national attention.Today we break down what the not guilty plea signals, how Menashe's defense philosophy could shape the trial, and the new details emerging about McKee's pattern of evasion — including a malpractice lawsuit that couldn't locate him for months before the killings. Process servers found fake addresses, TVs turning off when they knocked, and colleagues who said he "just disappeared."The battle lines are drawn. This is how it begins.#TrueCrimeToday #MichaelMcKee #TepeCase #MoniqueTepe #SpencerTepe #DianeMenushe #ColumbusOhio #DomesticViolence #MurderTrial #WilliamHuselJoin Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

Microsoft quietly hands over BitLocker keys to the government, TikTok's new privacy terms spark a user panic, and Europe's secret tech backups reveal anxious prep for digital fallout. Plus, how gambling platforms are changing the future of news and sports. You can bet on how much snow will fall in New York City this weekend Europe Prepares for a Nightmare Scenario: The U.S. Blocking Access to Tech China, US sign off on TikTok US spinoff TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection -- here's what it means Elon Musk's Grok A.I. Chatbot Made Millions of Sexualized Images, New Estimates Show Microsoft Gave FBI Keys To Unlock Encrypted Data, Exposing Major Privacy Flaw - Forbes House of Lords votes to ban social media for Brits under 16 Overrun with AI slop, cURL scraps bug bounties to ensure "intact mental health" Route leak incident on January 22, 2026 149 Million Usernames and Passwords Exposed by Unsecured Database Millions of people imperiled through sign-in links sent by SMS Anthropic revises Claude's 'Constitution,' and hints at chatbot consciousness The new Siri chatbot may run on Google servers, not Apple's A Wikipedia Group Made a Guide to Detect AI Writing. Now a Plug-In Uses It to 'Humanize' Chatbots GitHub - anthropics/original_performance_takehome: Anthropic's original performance take-home, now open for you to try! Telly's "free" ad-based TVs make notable revenue—when they're actually delivered - Ars Technica Toilet Maker Toto's Shares Get Unlikely Boost From AI Rush - Slashdot Dr. Gladys West, whose mathematical models inspired GPS, dies at 95 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Alex Stamos, Doc Rock, and Patrick Beja Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twit meter.com/twit redis.io expressvpn.com/twit shopify.com/twit

Microsoft quietly hands over BitLocker keys to the government, TikTok's new privacy terms spark a user panic, and Europe's secret tech backups reveal anxious prep for digital fallout. Plus, how gambling platforms are changing the future of news and sports. You can bet on how much snow will fall in New York City this weekend Europe Prepares for a Nightmare Scenario: The U.S. Blocking Access to Tech China, US sign off on TikTok US spinoff TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection -- here's what it means Elon Musk's Grok A.I. Chatbot Made Millions of Sexualized Images, New Estimates Show Microsoft Gave FBI Keys To Unlock Encrypted Data, Exposing Major Privacy Flaw - Forbes House of Lords votes to ban social media for Brits under 16 Overrun with AI slop, cURL scraps bug bounties to ensure "intact mental health" Route leak incident on January 22, 2026 149 Million Usernames and Passwords Exposed by Unsecured Database Millions of people imperiled through sign-in links sent by SMS Anthropic revises Claude's 'Constitution,' and hints at chatbot consciousness The new Siri chatbot may run on Google servers, not Apple's A Wikipedia Group Made a Guide to Detect AI Writing. Now a Plug-In Uses It to 'Humanize' Chatbots GitHub - anthropics/original_performance_takehome: Anthropic's original performance take-home, now open for you to try! Telly's "free" ad-based TVs make notable revenue—when they're actually delivered - Ars Technica Toilet Maker Toto's Shares Get Unlikely Boost From AI Rush - Slashdot Dr. Gladys West, whose mathematical models inspired GPS, dies at 95 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Alex Stamos, Doc Rock, and Patrick Beja Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twit meter.com/twit redis.io expressvpn.com/twit shopify.com/twit

Microsoft quietly hands over BitLocker keys to the government, TikTok's new privacy terms spark a user panic, and Europe's secret tech backups reveal anxious prep for digital fallout. Plus, how gambling platforms are changing the future of news and sports. You can bet on how much snow will fall in New York City this weekend Europe Prepares for a Nightmare Scenario: The U.S. Blocking Access to Tech China, US sign off on TikTok US spinoff TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection -- here's what it means Elon Musk's Grok A.I. Chatbot Made Millions of Sexualized Images, New Estimates Show Microsoft Gave FBI Keys To Unlock Encrypted Data, Exposing Major Privacy Flaw - Forbes House of Lords votes to ban social media for Brits under 16 Overrun with AI slop, cURL scraps bug bounties to ensure "intact mental health" Route leak incident on January 22, 2026 149 Million Usernames and Passwords Exposed by Unsecured Database Millions of people imperiled through sign-in links sent by SMS Anthropic revises Claude's 'Constitution,' and hints at chatbot consciousness The new Siri chatbot may run on Google servers, not Apple's A Wikipedia Group Made a Guide to Detect AI Writing. Now a Plug-In Uses It to 'Humanize' Chatbots GitHub - anthropics/original_performance_takehome: Anthropic's original performance take-home, now open for you to try! Telly's "free" ad-based TVs make notable revenue—when they're actually delivered - Ars Technica Toilet Maker Toto's Shares Get Unlikely Boost From AI Rush - Slashdot Dr. Gladys West, whose mathematical models inspired GPS, dies at 95 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Alex Stamos, Doc Rock, and Patrick Beja Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twit meter.com/twit redis.io expressvpn.com/twit shopify.com/twit

Microsoft quietly hands over BitLocker keys to the government, TikTok's new privacy terms spark a user panic, and Europe's secret tech backups reveal anxious prep for digital fallout. Plus, how gambling platforms are changing the future of news and sports. You can bet on how much snow will fall in New York City this weekend Europe Prepares for a Nightmare Scenario: The U.S. Blocking Access to Tech China, US sign off on TikTok US spinoff TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection -- here's what it means Elon Musk's Grok A.I. Chatbot Made Millions of Sexualized Images, New Estimates Show Microsoft Gave FBI Keys To Unlock Encrypted Data, Exposing Major Privacy Flaw - Forbes House of Lords votes to ban social media for Brits under 16 Overrun with AI slop, cURL scraps bug bounties to ensure "intact mental health" Route leak incident on January 22, 2026 149 Million Usernames and Passwords Exposed by Unsecured Database Millions of people imperiled through sign-in links sent by SMS Anthropic revises Claude's 'Constitution,' and hints at chatbot consciousness The new Siri chatbot may run on Google servers, not Apple's A Wikipedia Group Made a Guide to Detect AI Writing. Now a Plug-In Uses It to 'Humanize' Chatbots GitHub - anthropics/original_performance_takehome: Anthropic's original performance take-home, now open for you to try! Telly's "free" ad-based TVs make notable revenue—when they're actually delivered - Ars Technica Toilet Maker Toto's Shares Get Unlikely Boost From AI Rush - Slashdot Dr. Gladys West, whose mathematical models inspired GPS, dies at 95 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Alex Stamos, Doc Rock, and Patrick Beja Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twit meter.com/twit redis.io expressvpn.com/twit shopify.com/twit

Screens are everywhere from laptops and phones to tablets and TVs and as screen time rises, so do eye health problems like digital eye strain and chronic dry eye. So how can we protect our vision in a world that depends on technology? In this episode, Dr. Pam Theriot, TEDx speaker and nationally recognized dry-eye specialist, joins us to share practical, science-backed strategies for healthier eyes. Dr. Theriot is a renowned optometrist, author, and international speaker known for translating complex eye-health topics into clear, actionable guidance. With a patient-centered approach and deep expertise in modern treatments and innovations, she helps people understand why their eyes feel fatigued, irritated, or blurry — and what they can do about it. In this conversation, we explore: ·       Why dry eye is becoming more common than ever. ·       The importance of blinking — and what happens when blink rate drops. ·       Whether beauty trends like fake lashes can impact eye health. ·       The key differences between reading on screens vs. reading print. ·       Simple habits that help your eyes stay stronger over time. If you work on screens all day or notice dryness, burning, fatigue, or blurred vision, this episode offers a must-hear roadmap for protecting your eyesight long-term. Learn more about Dr. Theriot and her work by visiting her website. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/38oMlMr  Keep up with Pam Theriot socials here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamTheriotODFAAO/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pam.theriot/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@alleviatedryeyewithdr.T  Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pamtheriot6 

Microsoft quietly hands over BitLocker keys to the government, TikTok's new privacy terms spark a user panic, and Europe's secret tech backups reveal anxious prep for digital fallout. Plus, how gambling platforms are changing the future of news and sports. You can bet on how much snow will fall in New York City this weekend Europe Prepares for a Nightmare Scenario: The U.S. Blocking Access to Tech China, US sign off on TikTok US spinoff TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection -- here's what it means Elon Musk's Grok A.I. Chatbot Made Millions of Sexualized Images, New Estimates Show Microsoft Gave FBI Keys To Unlock Encrypted Data, Exposing Major Privacy Flaw - Forbes House of Lords votes to ban social media for Brits under 16 Overrun with AI slop, cURL scraps bug bounties to ensure "intact mental health" Route leak incident on January 22, 2026 149 Million Usernames and Passwords Exposed by Unsecured Database Millions of people imperiled through sign-in links sent by SMS Anthropic revises Claude's 'Constitution,' and hints at chatbot consciousness The new Siri chatbot may run on Google servers, not Apple's A Wikipedia Group Made a Guide to Detect AI Writing. Now a Plug-In Uses It to 'Humanize' Chatbots GitHub - anthropics/original_performance_takehome: Anthropic's original performance take-home, now open for you to try! Telly's "free" ad-based TVs make notable revenue—when they're actually delivered - Ars Technica Toilet Maker Toto's Shares Get Unlikely Boost From AI Rush - Slashdot Dr. Gladys West, whose mathematical models inspired GPS, dies at 95 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Alex Stamos, Doc Rock, and Patrick Beja Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twit meter.com/twit redis.io expressvpn.com/twit shopify.com/twit

On this week's show we look at Smart TV OS rankings according to BGR.com and we ask the question if there will ever be a show like Seinfeld again. We also read your email and take a look at the week's news. News: Sony and TCL Are Teaming Up to Make TVs Paramount+ - THE PRICE OF YOUR PLAN IS CHANGING Broadcast Remains the Most Powerful Platform for Reaching NFL Audiences SVS 3000 R|Evolution Series Smart TV OS Rankings The article Every Major Smart TV OS Ranked Worst To Best Based On User Reviews ranks eight major smart TV operating systems based on user reviews and comments from sources like Best Buy, Reddit, and cross-referenced with expert sites like RTINGS. The focus is on real user experiences regarding performance, app availability, bugs, ads, usability, and overall satisfaction — emphasizing that the OS heavily impacts whether a TV feels premium or frustrating. Ranking (from worst #8 to best #1): 8. VIDAA (used on Hisense TVs): Simple and snappy for basics like Netflix/YouTube, but severely limited app library (missing Stremio, Spotify, major music apps); no Android app support; frequent freezes especially on larger screens (>40 inches); users call it "horrible" and feel like a "dumb" TV. 7. VIZIO OS (formerly SmartCast): Great hardware/value (e.g., affordable 120Hz gaming TVs), but plagued by instability, bugs, frequent problematic updates, ad-pushing, and odd behaviors; many users recommend external streaming sticks over built-in OS. 6. Samsung Tizen: Fast and smooth on high-end models (e.g., S95D OLED), but laggy/slow on older/lower-end sets (button delays of seconds, freezes); heavy ads and unwanted TV Plus channels; users describe UI/Smart Hub as "extremely laggy" and "awful." 5. Fire OS (Amazon Fire TVs): Solid Alexa integration and budget appeal, but very ad-heavy (Prime Video promotions dominate); sluggish performance (1-2 second app launch delays); shifting toward new Vega OS (Linux-based, no sideloading). 4. Google TV: Strong content aggregation, smart home features (Google Gemini), intuitive when hardware is good (excellent on Sony models); can feel cluttered for casual users; performance varies greatly by TV brand/hardware (flawless on premium, weaker on budget). 3. Roku OS: Highly reliable, straightforward, and user-friendly (great for non-tech users); minimal ads/recommendations; rock-solid stability (compared to a "Toyota Camry"); dated/basic interface is the main downside. 2. LG webOS: Smooth, colorful, and easy navigation (Magic Remote point-and-click shines); supports Apple HomeKit/AirPlay 2/Chromecast; kind to non-tech-savvy users; praised for looking premium; downside is increasing home screen bloat/ads/full-screen menus (since 2024) plus screensaver ads. 1. Apple tvOS (via Apple TV device, not built into TVs): Near-perfect — zero lag, no ads, ultra-fluid 4K UI; standout features like InSight (real-time show info), automatic subtitles, Enhance Dialogue (AI vocal clarity); users rave about "super fast responsiveness" and call it underrated; main caveat is needing a separate (pricey) Apple TV box/streamer There Will Never Be a New 'Seinfeld We found a Wall Street Journal opinion piece titled "There Will Never Be a New 'Seinfeld'" which argues that a cultural phenomenon like Seinfeld cannot emerge again in the current media landscape. The show was massively popular and broadly talked about around the "water-cooler" the day after it aired nationally on NBC. The author (Mary Julia Koch) opens with a personal anecdote about young women at a dinner party casually mentioning shows they've watched that others haven't heard of, highlighting how fragmented viewing habits have become due to the explosion of streaming platforms and content choices. The central thesis is that the conditions that made Seinfeld a universal hit in the 1990s are gone forever: Media fragmentation — In the broadcast TV era, there were only a handful of channels, so millions watched the same shows at the same time, creating shared cultural references and conversations. Today, with countless streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Max, etc.), on-demand viewing, and niche content, audiences are siloed and rarely overlap on the same program. Shift from mass appointment viewing to individualized consumption — No single show can achieve the same cultural penetration or "event" status when people watch on their own schedules and devices. Loss of common cultural touchstones — This makes it impossible for a new sitcom to become the kind of generational, quotable, everyone-knows-it phenomenon that Seinfeld was. Think about the movies and TV shows we watched in the 80s. We all watched the same stuff. It was either in the theater or on TV. So if I quoted Caddy Shack, all my friends knew what I was talking about and laughed. The piece laments that while there are still great comedies and talented creators, none will replicate Seinfeld's unique role in society because the technological and viewing ecosystem has permanently changed. This isn't about declining quality in comedy but about structural shifts in how media is produced, distributed, and consumed. Because of how we consume content, there simply won't be "a new Seinfeld"—the era of such singular, unifying pop-culture hits is over.

Dave and Chuck the Freak talk about a confusing Facebook Marketplace ad, restaurants that may go bankrupt this year, 2k mile storm set to hit the country, where people can get high tech tools to keep warm, 2nd grader fell asleep in class and woke up alone, man broke into homes and poured queso on people's TVs, woman lost $176k in Facebook scam, offices in US are going shoe-free, kids give patriotic send-off to gym teacher joining the Navy, Dave's work slippers, Dave watched The Rip, Bo Nix talks about injury, brewery gives lifetime of free beer to Indiana football coach, The Razzie Awards, LeAnn Rimes had $10k treatment, Jason Biggs had to tell kids why he's famous, Goop's new vibrator, man arrested after doing donuts on first date, guy puts ankle monitor on dog, pantsless NYC subway rider exposes himself with leather cage around junk, Dave headphone troubles, snowplow driver did coke and crashed, lady vabbing 50x a day, woman came back from Vietnam with leech in nose, passenger has meltdown on plane after thinking someone hit on his wife, plane was leaking de-icing fluids on passenger, people stuck on ski lift, woman made jingle for Dr. Pepper, and more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Friday - Clark Stinks day! Christa shares Clark Stinks posts with Clark. Submit yours at Clark.com/ClarkStinks.  Also in this episode, the job market is in a lower gear as businesses continue to lay off employees and slow hiring. Clark's take? There's an opportunity in the marketplace. If you've been laid off or you feel anxious about your job right now, consider Clark's perspective as a lifelong entrepreneur.  Clark Stinks: Segments 1 & 2 When 1 Door Closes…: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: 7 Money Mistakes You Might Be Making at the Gas Station Is Now a Good Time To Refinance Your Mortgage? Why You Should Avoid These Free Offers From Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile The Best Cell Phone Plan Deals in January Top 7 Ways To Shop Safely Online Costco Travel: 5 Things To Know Before You Book 5 Things to Know About the Costco Car Rental Program SCORE: Free Small Business Mentorship and Resources What Is an HSA Account and How Does It Work? Where Should I Set Up My Health Savings Account (HSA)? The best deals on TVs available now! Report: The #1 Internet Provider in America Internet Price War: Why Now Is a Good Time To Threaten To Cancel Clark.com resources: Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com  /  Ask Clark Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices: megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On episode 447 of Animal Spirits, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Michael Batnick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Carlson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ discuss Jerome Powell, credit card rates, the institutional ownership of homes, lowering mortgage rates, how to fix the housing market, AI vs. the labor market, the broadening out of the bull market, the growth in sports gambling, where housing is still affordable, circular private equity deals, why TVs are so cheap and much more. This episode is sponsored by Innovator. Learn more at  https://www.innovatoretfs.com/pdf/ddq_product_brief.pdf Sign up for The Compound newsletter and never miss out: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thecompoundnews.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find complete show notes on our blogs: Ben Carlson's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠A Wealth of Common Sense⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Michael Batnick's ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Irrelevant Investor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Feel free to shoot us an email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠animalspirits@thecompoundnews.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with any feedback, questions, recommendations, or ideas for future topics of conversation.   Investing involves the risk of loss. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be or regarded as personalized investment advice or relied upon for investment decisions. Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson are employees of Ritholtz Wealth Management and may maintain positions in the securities discussed in this video. All opinions expressed by them are solely their own opinion and do not reflect the opinion of Ritholtz Wealth Management. The Compound Media, Incorporated, an affiliate of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ritholtz Wealth Management⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, receives payment from various entities for advertisements in affiliated podcasts, blogs and emails. Inclusion of such advertisements does not constitute or imply endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation thereof, or any affiliation therewith, by the Content Creator or by Ritholtz Wealth Management or any of its employees. For additional advertisement disclaimers see here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ritholtzwealth.com/advertising-disclaimers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Investments in securities involve the risk of loss. Any mention of a particular security and related performance data is not a recommendation to buy or sell that security. The information provided on this website (including any information that may be accessed through this website) is not directed at any investor or category of investors and is provided solely as general information. Obviously nothing on this channel should be considered as personalized financial advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any securities. See our disclosures here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ritholtzwealth.com/podcast-youtube-disclosures/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why did ChatGPT go all in on health.... twice?